In the Ukrainian army an acute lack of modern equipment of domestic production. This statement recently made by the leadership of the concern “Ukroboronprom”. Barefoot of the group said that the APU does not fall, for example, tanks “Oplot”, armored vehicle “Dozor-B” and other advanced technology, as the government desperately bankrolling these projects. Why Ukraine is in the midst of war neglects the new products engineering military thought and what else our army needs in the area of ATO, to understand “Apostrophe”.
Technique
“Ukroboronprom” complain that the state defense order is scanty. “The state is able to cover only minimum needs, without investing in production, without investment in technology”, — complain in concern. Because of this, the company had to send in free holiday of workers of the Lviv armored plant.
However, experts interviewed by “Apostrophe”, noted that the group did not discover America. “The state defense order we have is really small, but the General staff and the defense Ministry are trying to work more with private companies and private repair enterprises, to increase the number of repaired equipment, and the initiative of “Ukroboronprom” is aimed at creation of new models”, — explained the Director of information and consulting company Defense Express Serhiy Zgurets.
Thus, the Ukrainian army is faced with a choice: either to purchase new equipment in strictly limited quantities, or to repair the old but to provide such equipment as many departments, covering problem areas of the front.
This dilemma recognizes the President. “We have become the choice of one “Hold,” or ten deeply modernized and repaired T-64 or T-80. And “Stronghold” is built at least 18 months, and the cycle of deep modernization of T-80 is 2.5 months. Thus, we have a question or tank company at full strength, or a single tank. And while we have the resources urgently need to make a deep modernization of these tanks. We need first and foremost to provide a tank unit in full absolute set of deeply modernized, overhauled machines for a very short time”, — said Petro Poroshenko during the meeting of the NSDC.
The Deputy Director of the Center for army, conversion and disarmament Anton Mikhnenko adds that the state simply comes from economic realities. “This year, the defense Ministry received 64 billion hryvnia, and asked a lot more, relying on the purchase of new weapons. But the defense Ministry is forced to settle for the resources that are available, respectively, remain the only resources to upgrade equipment, that is, not in order to buy something new, modern and more expensive”, — said “Apostrophe” expert.
According to Mikhnenko, “unprecedented funding” of the defense sector, which says the government just spent. So, last year about 70% of the military budget has been put on the increase of salaries of military, clothing and food security. “Now the situation has not fundamentally changed: the allowance is necessary to maintain the high that soldiers were motivated to join the army and combat training and procurement of arms requires a lot of resources”, — concluded the expert.
In 2017 to Finance the state defense order from the General Fund budget allocated about 9 billion hryvnia. The former Deputy chief of the General staff Lieutenant General Igor Romanenko says that the money is not particularly clear, but this does not mean that the Ukrainian defense industry on the verge of stopping. “To make money, do the “Bulwark”, sell them abroad and get money,” — said Romanenko.
Frames
Experts in one voice assured that the main problem of Ukrainian army is staffing. “We have a big problem with the resource Junior officers. They are sorely lacking. Commanders of platoon and very little says “Apostrophe” volunteer Roman Donik. — The user is forced to appoint someone who just happens to be at hand. This is often poorly trained people. Sergeants and petty officers of the schools we have, and therefore have such a problem”.
Volunteer Miroslav Gai adds that the armies of the countries of the West is the Junior officer level is transferred a lot of responsibility. “Many of the things decide to commanders of battalions and companies. They do not need to consult on every step of the way. They make decisions in accordance with the tactical situation, for example, a fire or not. Due to this, the same US generals, much less,” — said “Apostrophe” volunteer.
Understand the problem and the General staff, so in order to close staffing “holes”, it was decided this year to start a call “suits” — men who graduated from military departments of civilian universities, received the officer rank of second Lieutenant, but not a day served in the army. These officers plan to call about 4 thousand.
“This is a very large reserve that would be a sin not to use — said Donica. — Actually we have a lot of “jackets” that wanted to serve, but for some reason did not get into the army. In addition, we have a lot of people with a military occupational specialty, which is now irrelevant, so we need to organize this thing and take away those who can really serve, and in whom there is no need. It is definitely necessary to do.”
In turn, the former Deputy chief of General staff Lieutenant-General Yuri Dumansky believes that “jackets” the army will not be easy. “Of course, such people will be sent to military courses, where they will receive additional training. But it will definitely be difficult, because if the person did not serve in the army, but got a military rank without the appropriate training, not the fact that he is a good commander. It is still government by the people, and not just appliances. These things should be ready”, —explained the “Apostrophe” Dumansky.
Software
In the third year of the war in the Ukrainian army are still problems with the support of the military. Experts and volunteers and you can compare the situation with the supply of troops in 2014, and now, of course, impossible, because the increase in the defence budget and volunteer help did the trick, but the mechanisms are still not in place.
So, the volunteer Ivan Zvyagin said “Apostrophe”, which is an advanced acute shortage of sanitary cars for the evacuation of wounded. The first specialized auto production Corporation “Bogdan” appeared on the front in December last year, in a single copy.
“In addition, no hemostatic harness over three years of the war and was unable to buy the defense Ministry, says Zvyagin. Soldiers have to use the old Soviet rubber harness, and the necessary so-called “kotovskii”. The main difference between these harnesses is that the fighter can impose ourselves “katovsky” harness using only one hand if the other is hurt, and the Soviet harnesses are broken, and that they impose a need to work with both hands.”
Moreover, there remain problems with the glove providing fighters ATO, and the society becomes the witness of a permanent “uniform” scandals. The Military Prosecutor’s office opens case against officials of the defense Ministry, which has paid UAH 15 million to suppliers of military clothing improper quality, the Ministry complained that because of problems with suppliers to the soldiers on the front line lack of warm clothing: winter hats, ill-fitting fleece jackets of insulation and warm clothes. In the meantime, the military themselves in social networks complain that “zero” infantry dressed in the kits still volunteer form, while the rear have long been dressed in new clothes.
According to the former head of Department of material security of the Ministry of defense Nelly Stelmach, to track the final destination, which falls into the hands of form, is almost impossible. “The Ministry of defence was a pilot project for tracking of logistics that were measured each fighter and each fighter made form, but the software comes somewhere before the brigade line, and then have the line work”, — explained the “Apostrophe” ex-official.
But despite the objective financial, human and technical difficulties, the volunteers, who daily help armed forces agree that our army is still living according to Soviet standards: all processes in it are maximally bureaucratic. “Standards are everything. For example, in our army a lot of scribbling. Orders are very long, and often lost. Officers instead to engage in the training of personnel who are forced to write papers. This system we inherited from the Soviet army. There are other standards — will be a different army”, — concluded Miroslav Gai.
