The Ukrainian Armed Forces: Neutralising Risks and Potential Security Threats

Col. Gen. Viktor Muzhenko, Chief of the General Staff – Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine gives MILITARY TECHNOLOGY and exclusive statement for #9/2015.

In light of the Crimea annexation and Russian aggression in the eastern part of the country, Ukraine faced the necessity to reassess and modify its approach to its national security and defence sector. As a logic consequence, our government has initiated the urgent review of the package of key guidelines and conceptual documents related to national security and defence. Parliament has commented upon the necessity of making adjustments to the National Security Strategy of the Ukraine based on the results of the Comprehensive Security and Defence Sector Review of Ukraine, as well as the Military Doctrine of Ukraine, the Concept of Security and Defence Sector Development of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Strategic Defence Bulletin.

The Strategy sets up new principles and guidelines for the improvement of the system to ensure national security, an effective response to Ukraine’s new threats and adaptation to modern challenges.
Indeed, the documents mentioned above will reflect the ways for the defence sector reform, particularly a clear definition of military threats to national security based on lessons learned principles, a new delineation of powers between governmental and military authorities, and an adjustment of functions and tasks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF). The priority areas for subsequent efforts in this domain will include the military structural transformation, manpower strength adjustment and C2 system improvement.

Furthermore, the UAF will remain the basic component of the national security and defence sector. The core objective of reform and development is to strengthen our Armed Forces and other military formations as a whole by making them modern, mobile, well-equipped and capable of performing their main task – to neutralise risks and potential threats to the security of our country.
One of the significant steps in this direction is the implementation of the best military standards into the UAF operations. In its turn, this supports the necessary level of operational interoperability between the UAF units, NATO and EU forces as well as enhances readiness to fulfil assigned tasks (develops operational capabilities).

Ukrainian Armed Forces ride on APCs near Debaltseve, Ukraine, earlier in 2015. (Photo: Ukrainian MoD)

Moreover, despite the complex situation and certain economic restrictions, Ukraine shall keep observing its international obligations. This means that we will continue participation in the EU Battle Groups, the NRF and the OCC, even though the latter would require significant adjustment. We also view our continuing participation in NATO operations as an effective way to increase operational capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. For example, UAF continuing participation in NATO-led operations has been proven to be an effective way to increase the national operational capabilities.

However, in terms of the world tendency for the defence expenditures reduction, our military top brass have faced an embarrassing dilemma: if the UAF are able to fulfil the full range of their tasks and missions.

It is no secret that throughout the UAF existence they were affected by underfunding. Every Ukrainian government since independence has budgeted less than was necessary to adequately fund the existing military – and then provided actual funding even less than the paltry amount budgeted.  Therefore, today the effectiveness of Ukrainian military spending is severely compromised by numerous reasons. The vast majority of financial resources have recently been spent on personnel, but very little investments were made in modernization and acquisitions.

Meanwhile, looking at the figures it should be admitted that in 2015 Ukrainian military spending has considerably increased to 3.5-3.9% of GDP (in comparison to the previous years, defence spending in 2013 was 0.96% of GDP, in 2014 – 1.68%).

What is more, according to the reform programme “Strategy 2020”, recently approved by the President of Ukraine, military expenditures are planned to be increased up to 5 % of GDP in the short-term perspective.

Current Role and Significance of NATO

Needless to say that security trends play the great role in the process of forming a new system of international relations. Contemporary international security environment is complicated by the increased number of actors and threats. Continued instability, crisis driven by Russian aggression in Ukraine, barbarism at the hands of Da’esh in Syria and Iraq as well as fighting against piracy – these are only some of many modern challenges, spanned from Afghanistan to the west coast of Africa, that international community has to struggle with.

A pair of Ukrainian Mil Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters (Photo: Ukrainian MoD)

This fact implies that countries should exert more efforts to cooperate with each other in order to provide security at different levels (national, regional or global). Nowadays, many experts claim that no security system provides the full security and “the only reliable system is shared values and interests of the members of the system”. In light of this, it raises the question of current significance of NATO.

From our perspective, NATO gives the best example of how common values and interests facilitate political and military collaboration aimed at ensuring security of the member states.

Additionally, it should be mentioned that the Russian annexation of Crimea and Russia's military actions in the eastern Ukraine, which forced a paradigm shift away from the notion that the age of expansionism was in Europe's past, have renewed the relevance of the North Atlantic Treaty.

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine is not a local one, as one might probably consider. It is a great challenge for the whole European security system with remarkable implications for great variety of defence and security issues. Moreover, the crisis appears to be a potential turning point in Euro-Atlantic security. As a result, Russian imperial behaviour and its aggressive actions towards Ukraine marked a new era in the history of Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization and gave the Euro-Atlantic sceptics a clear answer regarding the Alliance future: NATO is a unique international organization capable of safeguarding – by political and military means – the freedom and security of all its members.

However, there are two major challenges which may prevent NATO’s remaining the cornerstone of Euro-Atlantic security system. The first is the global economic downslow, and, particularly, the financial crisis in the European Union. European countries, which comprise the majority of NATO members, may cut their defence budgets in order to manage their financial predicaments, thus undermining their ability to cooperate effectively with transatlantic partners.

The second is the issue of cooperation with emerging powers (Brazil, China, India and Russia) in the area of international security. The main question is whether these states will cooperate with NATO in the global arena or they will pursue their own security policies which will not coincide with NATO’s interests and goals. In this case, NATO may become a regional actor with a vague perspective of global status.

Nevertheless, I see three ways of further NATO development: Reformation, Transformation and Conditioning (adaptation or accommodation to modern challenges).  And in my view it could be realized thought strengthening the partnership using all available formats and tools. Only joint attempts make us “Stronger Together” in the world of changes.

Lessons Learned from the Ongoing Conflict in the East of Ukraine and the Participation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Antiterrorist Operation 

During the last two years the Russian Federation has been pursuing an aggressive policy, aimed at returning Ukraine under its control, disrupting its European development vector, weaken and split our country.

Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-25 in flight (Photo: Ukrainian MoD)

Russia tries to achieve its ideological, political, economic and military-strategic objectives via implementation of its plans, designed to veil its responsibility for fuelling and supporting the conflict in Donbas, while blaming Ukrainian authorities.

Indeed, Ukraine is currently at war, and this undeclared war being waged by Russia against us, is defined as “hybrid”, “non-linear” or “war of controlled chaos.” Such kind of war could be considered as comprehensive actions, combining ideological, informational, military, social and political, diplomatic, economic and terrorist elements, which are coordinated from one centre to achieve certain strategic objectives. Each of these “hybrid war” elements is not new. However, their balance, coherence, interconnection, dynamics as well as flexibility of employment, which we face, are unique.

One of the main military characteristics of the "hybrid war" in the eastern Ukraine is the large-scale actions of insurgent groups, inspired by Russian propaganda. Therefore, the absence of a declaration of war and an open aggression towards Ukraine defined a national choice in carrying out the antiterrorist operation as the most adequate way to respond to the threat. Since the beginning of the conflict, they have been distinguished by purely terrorist contents – armed seizures of local authorities, banking system, media, etc.

However, after more than one year of the UAF participation in ATO we could define the following military characteristics of the ongoing conflict:

• Absence of continuous front line;
• Combat actions mainly in urban areas;
• Spread of asymmetric threats (terrorism and sabotage, disrupt of communication lines using civilians as "human shields" by terrorists).  

As a result, it led to psychological unwillingness of our forces to use military weapons. It clearly explains the success of such actions of Russia-backed militants last spring in Crimea;

• Integrated use of intelligence, fire strikes and targeting;
• Increased role of mobile units and special operations forces;
• Significant role of artillery and MLRS, compared to other modern conflicts, in particular, their employment by Russian forces from their own territory;
• Widespread use of modern UAVs for reconnaissance and targeting;
• Employment of advanced electronic warfare assets by Russian-terrorist forces.

Apart from this, the conflict in the Eastern Ukraine differs by the level of terrorists support from Russia. Of course, methods of cross-border armament supplies to terrorists are not new.  However, the situation in Donbas in terms of its scale is unprecedented.

It is a massive delivery of military equipment in various ways, by direct lift across the border, its transportation under the guise of "humanitarian convoys," with complete denial of the Russian side involvement, which serves as a unique feature of the conflict.

Despite all existing difficulties, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in cooperation with other security forces, have stopped a hidden military aggression of the "hybrid war", consequently destroyed Russian plans to establish control over six south-eastern regions of Ukraine (167sqkm) and prevented implementation of its intentions to create so called common Eurasian space from Lisbon to Vladivostok.

Participation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in International Peacekeeping Operations

The UAF have been taking part in international peacekeeping operations since the declaration of independence of our country.

An Ukrainian Navy Kamov Ka-27 HELIX leaving the deck of a naval vessel. (Photo: Ukrainian MoD)

During this period more than 45,000 peacekeepers have gained invaluable experience in twenty countries (Afghanistan, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kosovo, Cyprus, Georgia, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Eritrea, East Timor, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Moldova, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Sudan, Abyei Area, Tajikistan).

Today, there are three Ukrainian national contingents, which have been involved in international peacekeeping operations under the auspices of international security organizations (UN and NATO), such as:

• National contingent in Kosovo, (Republic of Serbia) as a part of multinational battle group "East". This contingent performs mine-clearance checks,  dismantling of damaged buildings, shrub clearing, other engineering work.
• Helicopter detachment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which fulfils the tasks as a part of the UN Stabilization Mission. Contingent performs fire support of ground forces, armed support, Rapid Response Unit activities, regrouping of forces and land operations support, fire support of search and rescue operations, search and rescue operations (activities), airborne operations; reconnaissance flights, medical transportation; urgent logistical support, patrolling and surveillance.
• Helicopter squadron under the UN Mission in Liberia: Contingent performs mission personnel and VIP transportation, cargo transportation, medical transportation, wounded personnel evacuation, patrolling and surveillance, air support of the UN Mission troops’ movement.

Furthermore, 55 UAF servicemen continue to fulfil their tasks in eight countries and under the UN Interim Security Force for the disputed Abyei Area (Sudan) as the national personnel.
In total, 549 UAF troops perform their tasks today under UN and other international umbrellas outside our country.