Wednesday, August 24, in Kiev was held a military parade dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence. The parade was attended by 4 thousand servicemen and over 200 pieces of military equipment.
In the parade on Khreshchatyk were soldiers armed forces of Ukraine, National guard, border guard and the police. Separate systems were demobilized combatants in the East of Ukraine, as well as the families of the victims participating in the operation.
Well-known brands
In a solemn speech dedicated to the anniversary of independence, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that the residents of the Ukrainian capital saw the “new army, two years created almost from scratch. Thus, according to the President, citizens will know “where the money goes”.
The parade was reviewed by Minister of defence of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak. He drove on Ukraine passed the American side of a military HMMWV. The same car made a separate column in the solemn processions in the capital.
The Ukrainian army infantry fighting vehicles BMP-2, armoured personnel carriers BRT-80, vehicles BMD-2, howitzers, MT-12 “rapier”, 2A65 “Msta-B”, self-propelled “Geatsint”, “Carnation”, “Msta-s and “Peony”. All exhibited technology was produced until 1991.
Air defense troops of the presented anti-aircraft missile complexes “OSA-AKM”, “s-300PS and “Buk – M1”. These models have also been developed and manufactured in the Soviet Union.
Also in the parade was attended by jet systems of volley fire “Grad” and “Smerch”. A separate convoy drove launchers “Tochka-U”.
The Ukrainian equipment was represented by tanks “Bulat” (a modified version of the Soviet T-64BM), armored vehicles Ukrainian-made BTR-4E with combat module “Sail”, as well as armored vehicles “Dozor-B”.
Negotiations on the supply of lethal weapons of the American production Ukraine began in 2014. However, the outcome of negotiations Kiev has only received counter-battery radars and army HMMWV SUVs. Last held on Khreshchatyk separate column.
According to Poroshenko, all the equipment represented in the parade, will be transferred to existing military units.
New look
According to military expert Viktor Murakhovski, the army of Ukraine is difficult to call a new one. “Almost all demonstrated equipment — of the Soviet model, it is not produced on the territory of Ukraine, and restored”, — the expert explains.
The Ukrainian military showed a relatively new development — the tank “Oplot”, said murakhovski. “The production of these tanks, the Ukrainians can’t run for its own army, as it does not have enough money and production capacity of the plant. Malyshev”, — says the expert.
But the parade Ukrainian soldiers unveiled the new uniform and insignia. New image military Poroshenko approved in July 2016.
The working group has changed its insignia and in the form of headgear. The cap of the new sample adorned Cossack gripping a cross. Each type of troops cross combined with a distinctive sign. Soldiers of the Ground forces wear a cross with two swords, the Navy with the anchor and the air force — with wings and one sword. Also changed the shoulder straps of soldiers. Instead of the usual in the post-Soviet space, stars of different size, the straps, the Ukrainian military is decorated with rhombuses with equal sides.
Changed markings on military vehicles. Instead of a five-pointed star on Board demonstrated at the parade of equipment was done gripping the cross.
Contact army
In a solemn speech, the President noted that the personnel of the Ukrainian army transformed. According to him, monthly, the armed forces of Ukraine join 6 thousand soldiers of contract service. “As of today 75% of the Ukrainian army is a contract”, — said the President.
Poroshenko said that at the moment the Ukrainian army formed a reserve of 80 thousand soldiers. Despite this, the President acknowledged that “the desires and needs do not always coincide with possibilities.” He admitted that Ukraine will need more years and tens of billions of hryvnia to sleep”.
According to the report, Military Balance 2016 the International Institute for strategic studies (IISS), the total number of Armed forces of Ukraine are 204 thousand people.
