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UKRAINE SUPPLIES MILITARY EQUIPMENT TO CHINA, AZERBAIJAN, USA IN 2006
Kommersant-Ukraina, Kiev
28 Aug 07
Information submitted by Ukraine to the UN's conventional arms register
on arms sales in 2006 shows that it sold 1,118 items to 19 countries,
which is more than twice the number sold in 2005, Denys Popovych
writes. The following is an excerpt from a report by Ukrainian edition
of Russian business daily newspaper Kommersant on 28 August:
Yesterday the contents of the report Ukraine sent to United Nations
Register of Conventional Arms became known. In 2006, Ukraine sold
to 19 countries 1,118 items of various arms and machinery, which
is almost twice as much as in 2005. Unlike the analogous data for
previous years, the report for 2006 does not give a breakdown of the
type of arms delivered. Experts attribute this to Ukraine's attempt
to avoid accusations over the sale of arms to third countries.
The report Ukraine sent for the UN Register of Conventional Arms
reflects information on the number of tanks, armoured combat vehicles,
high-calibre artillery systems, military aircraft, rockets and
launching devices, as well as mobile surface-to-air missile systems,
that Ukraine sold to various countries in 2006. According to the
document, last year Ukraine sold 1,118 items of arms and military
machinery to 19 countries.
[Passage omitted: background on UN register]
In comparison to 2005, when Ukraine sold just 649 items to 18
countries, in 2006 it almost doubled the amount of military products
it sold. Another achievement was that the geography of Ukrainian arms
trade expanded.
The geography of arms sales expanded thanks to Africa. Ukraine managed
to get into the Nigerian market, where it sold 10 armoured combat
vehicles. The fact that the number of sales almost doubled is due to
large orders from the USA and China. In particular, the USA bought 295
mobile surface-to-air missile systems and China bought 590 missiles
(in 2005, it bought 363).
Another major buyer of Ukrainian military machinery was Azerbaijan. It
received 20 tanks and armoured combat vehicles, 13 high-calibre
artillery systems and 17 military aircraft. In addition, 40 tanks
and armoured vehicles were delivered to Congo and another 50 armoured
combat vehicles were left in Iraq by the Ukrainian military contingent
that served in that country from 2003 to 2005.
Explaining the interest of China, the USA and Azerbaijan in our
military machinery, an expert from the Centre for Army, Conversion
and Disarmament Studies, Mykhaylo Samus, told Kommersant-Ukraine that
the Americans could use the mobile surface-to-air missile systems to
"test the equipment" installed on aeroplanes and helicopters to combat
these systems.
"The 590 missiles China bought from Ukraine are likely to be R-27
air-to-air missiles for Russian-produced aircraft. Azerbaijan is
our ally. At present, this country is increasing its defence budget
and mobilizing the army. This is not unconnected to the conflict in
Nagornyy Karabakh," Samus said.
Unlike previous years' reports, the 2006 document does not specify the
types of military equipment sold by the state. Samus suggests that
this "reduces the transparency of information on sales of equipment
abroad". He believes that by concealing the information, Ukraine hopes
to avoid speculation over arms trading. "In 2005, precise information
about Ukraine's military deliveries to Georgia and Azerbaijan was used
at home and abroad for various information campaigns," Samus recalled.
The expert's conclusions are confirmed by representatives of the State
Export Control Service. "This is the form in which the information is
provided. There were no claims against our country as a UN member. We
were supplying more information than necessary. If more information is
needed, they should ask us," Kommersant-Ukraine learnt from a source
who wished to remain anonymous.
Kommersant-Ukraina, Kiev
28 Aug 07
Information submitted by Ukraine to the UN's conventional arms register
on arms sales in 2006 shows that it sold 1,118 items to 19 countries,
which is more than twice the number sold in 2005, Denys Popovych
writes. The following is an excerpt from a report by Ukrainian edition
of Russian business daily newspaper Kommersant on 28 August:
Yesterday the contents of the report Ukraine sent to United Nations
Register of Conventional Arms became known. In 2006, Ukraine sold
to 19 countries 1,118 items of various arms and machinery, which
is almost twice as much as in 2005. Unlike the analogous data for
previous years, the report for 2006 does not give a breakdown of the
type of arms delivered. Experts attribute this to Ukraine's attempt
to avoid accusations over the sale of arms to third countries.
The report Ukraine sent for the UN Register of Conventional Arms
reflects information on the number of tanks, armoured combat vehicles,
high-calibre artillery systems, military aircraft, rockets and
launching devices, as well as mobile surface-to-air missile systems,
that Ukraine sold to various countries in 2006. According to the
document, last year Ukraine sold 1,118 items of arms and military
machinery to 19 countries.
[Passage omitted: background on UN register]
In comparison to 2005, when Ukraine sold just 649 items to 18
countries, in 2006 it almost doubled the amount of military products
it sold. Another achievement was that the geography of Ukrainian arms
trade expanded.
The geography of arms sales expanded thanks to Africa. Ukraine managed
to get into the Nigerian market, where it sold 10 armoured combat
vehicles. The fact that the number of sales almost doubled is due to
large orders from the USA and China. In particular, the USA bought 295
mobile surface-to-air missile systems and China bought 590 missiles
(in 2005, it bought 363).
Another major buyer of Ukrainian military machinery was Azerbaijan. It
received 20 tanks and armoured combat vehicles, 13 high-calibre
artillery systems and 17 military aircraft. In addition, 40 tanks
and armoured vehicles were delivered to Congo and another 50 armoured
combat vehicles were left in Iraq by the Ukrainian military contingent
that served in that country from 2003 to 2005.
Explaining the interest of China, the USA and Azerbaijan in our
military machinery, an expert from the Centre for Army, Conversion
and Disarmament Studies, Mykhaylo Samus, told Kommersant-Ukraine that
the Americans could use the mobile surface-to-air missile systems to
"test the equipment" installed on aeroplanes and helicopters to combat
these systems.
"The 590 missiles China bought from Ukraine are likely to be R-27
air-to-air missiles for Russian-produced aircraft. Azerbaijan is
our ally. At present, this country is increasing its defence budget
and mobilizing the army. This is not unconnected to the conflict in
Nagornyy Karabakh," Samus said.
Unlike previous years' reports, the 2006 document does not specify the
types of military equipment sold by the state. Samus suggests that
this "reduces the transparency of information on sales of equipment
abroad". He believes that by concealing the information, Ukraine hopes
to avoid speculation over arms trading. "In 2005, precise information
about Ukraine's military deliveries to Georgia and Azerbaijan was used
at home and abroad for various information campaigns," Samus recalled.
The expert's conclusions are confirmed by representatives of the State
Export Control Service. "This is the form in which the information is
provided. There were no claims against our country as a UN member. We
were supplying more information than necessary. If more information is
needed, they should ask us," Kommersant-Ukraine learnt from a source
who wished to remain anonymous.