Key
developments since May 2001: In December 2001, Ukraine and NATO signed a
framework agreement for destruction of Ukraine’s PMN mines. In 2001,
Ukrainian deminers cleared 15,500 mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO), most left
from World War II.
MINE BAN POLICY
Ukraine signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 24 February
1999, shortly after signing an agreement with Canada for the destruction of its
antipersonnel mine
stockpiles.[1] A key stumbling
block to Ukraine’s ratification of the treaty continues to be working out
the destruction of its significant mine stockpile within the four years required
by the treaty. (For previous discussion of this issue, see Landmine Monitor
Report 2001, pp. 839-840, as well as Stockpiling and Destruction section
below.)
On 5 December 2001, in Kiev, Ukraine and Canada signed a “Joint
Declaration On Continuing Development of the Special Partnership Between Canada
and Ukraine.”[2]
Regarding the Mine Ban Treaty, the Joint Declaration pledges to “Continue
active cooperation in implementing the obligations of the Ottawa Convention, the
Framework Arrangement Between the Government of Canada and the Cabinet of
Ministers of Ukraine on the Destruction of Anti-Personnel Landmines in Ukraine
and the Memorandum of Understanding between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine
and the NATO Maintenance and Supply Organization on Logistic Support Cooperation
and work towards ratification of the Ottawa Convention as soon as
possible.”[3]
In late 2001, the Committee on Defense and National Security of the Ukrainian
Parliament and the State Commission on the Defense Industrial Complex were given
additional responsibilities for implementation of the
treaty.[4] The State Commission
on the Defense Industrial Complex has the main role in developing and
coordinating national policy on military-technical cooperation with foreign
countries and organizations, and for coordination and control of national
activities on the destruction of arms, including
landmines.[5]
From 4-5 February 2002, at a meeting organized by the United Nations
Development Program (UNDP) with Ukrainian and Canadian officials, the Head of
the Ukrainian Interdepartmental Working Group on Landmines, Lieutenant-General
Tereschenko, declared that Ukraine might be able to initiate the ratification
process in the parliament in October-November 2002, even earlier than, as the
Canadian delegation suggested, in March 2002, when Ukraine held Parliamentary
elections.[6]
Ukraine did not attend the Third Meeting of States Parties in September 2001
because of funding
constraints.[7] Ukraine did
participate in the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in January and May
2002. Government representatives also attended landmine conferences in Warsaw
in June 2001, in Moscow in June 2001, in Washington, DC in July 2001, and in
Athens in October 2001.[8]
On 29 November 2001, Ukraine cosponsored and voted in favor of UN General
Assembly Resolution 56/24M, calling for universalization and implementation of
the Mine Ban Treaty.
Ukraine is a party to Amended Protocol II to the Convention on Conventional
Weapons (CCW). It attended the third annual meeting of States Parties to CCW
Amended Protocol II and the Second CCW Review Conference in December 2001. At
the Review Conference in December 2001, Anatoliy Scherba, Head of the Ukraine
Delegation, noted the government’s concern with explosive remnants of war
(ERW). He stated that “in particular, we strongly believe that the
problem of explosive remnants of war should be addressed by the international
community as a matter of urgency given the fact that these remnants in many
respects constitute the same type of hazard to civilians as mines do and that
many countries including some European ones have been affected by ERW. Ukraine
has a first-hand experience of the adverse consequences of this problem as well
as of its considerable financial and technical implications. Therefore we
believe that the world community should take the opportunity provided by the
current Conference to consider the ways to minimize the incidence of unexploded
ordnance and support a mandate calling for further work on the ERW
issue.”[9]
NGO ACTIVITIES
During 2001, the Ukrainian Campaign to Ban
Landmines (UCBL), formed in November 1998, continued its
activities.[10] In October
2001, the popular Ukrainian television program “Snyadanok z 1+1” and
UCBL organized a discussion about landmines in Afghanistan. On 24 October 2001,
United Nations Day, the Ukrainian Peacekeepers Veterans Association (UPVA), and
Ukrainian UN Association organized a meeting at the Parliament Library in Kiev,
with the participation of the Deputy Foreign Minister among others. Discussion
focused on the Ukraine and the Mine Ban Treaty, and international mine action
programs.[11]
PRODUCTION, TRANSFER, AND USE
Under the Soviet Union, Ukraine produced
components for Soviet mines, but the government has repeatedly stated that
Ukraine has not been involved in production since its
independence.[12]
Ukraine has a moratorium on the export of antipersonnel mines in place
through 2003.[13] In 2001, at
the request of the Pentagon, a US company tried to purchase 3,000-4,000
landmines from “UKRSPECEXPORT,” the main Ukrainian State arms trade
company, for training military personnel and for research and development. The
Ukrainian Ministry of Justice did not sign the contract in accordance with
Ukraine’s moratorium on the export of
landmines.[14] Subsequently,
the Ukrainian government prepared a special resolution on the procedures for
mine transfer for training purposes, in accordance with the text of the Mine Ban
Treaty. Monitoring of the situation will be provided the the State Commission
on Defense Industrial
Complex.[15]
The Ministry of Defense states that antipersonnel mines have not been used on
Ukrainian territory since World War II. However, Ukrainian police have recorded
individual cases of criminal use of landmines. The Ministry of Emergency
Situations reported about 67 incidents of criminals using of mines and UXO in
2001.[16]
STOCKPILING AND DESTRUCTION
Ukraine inherited a large stockpile of mines from
the Soviet Union. It has 6.35 million antipersonnel mines that must be
destroyed, including 404,903 PMN mines and 5,947,596 PFM-1/1-S mines. In March
2001, Canada and Ukraine signed a Framework Arrangement for assistance in
antipersonnel mine destruction that establishes a Coordination Committee on
stockpile destruction in Ukraine. (For previous discussion on stockpiles, their
locations, and developments in the joint destruction project, which has moved
more slowly than anticipated, see Landmine Monitor Report 2001, pp.
841-842, and Landmine Monitor Report 2000, pp. 786-787.)
At the first meeting of the Coordinating Committee on 7 September 2001,
Ukraine requested the UN Development Program to be Project Manager of future
destruction efforts and designated its State Commission on the Defense and
Industrial Complex as the national
counterpart.[17]
On 5 December 2001, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, John
Manley, visited Kiev and discussed future cooperation with Ukrainian President
Leonid Kuchma, Prime Minister Anatoliy Kinakh, and Foreign Minister Anatoliy
Zlenko. During a public event at the Diplomatic Academy in Kiev, Manley said,
“We are also proud to sponsor the first large-scale project in this
country to destroy the antipersonnel landmine stockpile, following on a
Framework Agreement, signed by Foreign Minister Zlenko and myself in Ottawa last
March. Hopefully, with such a start, Ukraine may soon rid itself of landmine
stockpiles and join the 122 countries which have now ratified the Ottawa
Convention, which Ukraine signed in 1999. It is an incredible record of
cooperation—with so much accomplished between us in such a very short
time.”[18]
On 6 December 2001, President Kuchma signed an order requiring the National
Defense and Security Council, the Ministry of Defense, and the Cabinet of
Ministers to immediately take all measures to expedite the weapons and
ammunition destruction
process.[19] From 8-12 January
2002, a special government commission completed inspections of all the arsenals
and stockpiles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including engineer’s arms
and mines.[20]
On 14 February 2002, the Atlantic Council of Ukraine, International Fund for
Social Adaptation of Retired Military Personnel, and the Embassy of Norway to
Ukraine organized an international conference in Kiev to discuss problems on the
reorganization of the military system in Ukraine, and the liquidation of
stockpiles. Representatives of NATO, the European Commission, and foreign
diplomatic corps took part.
Destruction of PFM-1 Mines
From 21-23 June 2001, a Ukrainian delegation
visited Moscow to discuss research and development (R&D) efforts on the
destruction of PFM-1 mines; the visit was organized by the Russian
“Basalt” and “ECODEM” companies. The Ukrainian
delegation signed a framework agreement with Russia on joint cooperation on
R&D on the best technology to destroy PFM-1 landmines.
During consultations from 23-26 July 2001, with representatives from
UNDP’s Mine Action Unit, the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian
Demining (GICHD) and the government of Canada, the Ukrainian government agreed
to the basic concepts of a PFM-1 destruction
program.[21]
On 15 March 2002, during a regional seminar in Kiev, Ukrainian officials
stated that standard specifications on the destruction of PFM mines would be
determined by mid-year, followed by an announcement of the results of the
international tender on destruction of PFM-1
mines.[22] As of July 2002,
however, no technology had been selected for the destruction of PFM-1 mines in
Ukraine.
PMN Mines
From 18-19 October 2001, Ukraine took part in a
NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) “Workshop on Regionally Focused Mine
Action” in Athens. Discussions were held on a future PfP Trust Fund
project in Ukraine to destroy more than 400,000 PMN mines, to be carried out by
NATO’s Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA).
On 6 December 2001, in Brussels, Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Anatoliy Zlenko, signed an implementation agreement with NAMSA on the
destruction of the PMN
mines.[23] A Canadian
delegation worked in Kiev on the implementation of the agreement on 4-5 February
2002, headed by the Canadian Ambassador for Mine Action, Dan
Livermore.[24]
On 27 February 2002, NAMSA signed a technical agreement with Spivdruzhnist, a
Ukrainian company, providing that Ukraine should destroy the mines in one year
and four months.[25] On 14
March 2002, NAMSA signed an agreement with Spivdruzhnist and the Ministry of
Defense of Ukraine to transport 404,000 PMN-1 and PMP-2 antipersonnel mines to
Spivdruzhnist for destruction. The head of Spivdruzhnist stated that the
destruction would use Ukrainian equipment, technologies, and labor.
MINE ACTION IN UKRAINE
Ukraine is still affected by mines and unexploded
ordnance (UXO) from World War II. According to new information from the
Engineers Command of the Ministry of Defense, between 1945-1992 more than 62
million mines and UXO were cleared, with more than 85,000 deminers taking part
in mine clearance
operations.[26]
In 2001, Ukraine carried out 1,052 operations involving demining or explosive
ordnance disposal, an increase of 4.3 percent over 2000; some 15,500 mines and
UXO were cleared. Since achieving independence in 1992, Ukrainian demining
teams have collected more than 370,000 mines and UXO. Approximately 260,000
hectares of land have been
cleared.[27]
For clearance purposes, Ukraine is divided into 497 areas of responsibility;
of these, the Ministry of Defense is responsible for demining in 442 areas, and
the Ministry of Emergencies is responsible for demining in 55 areas. In some
cases, for example with improvised explosive devices, special police teams are
employed.[28] There are no
systematic mine risk education programs in Ukraine. During mine clearance
operations, deminers meet with the local population and educate them on the
rules of behavior when they come across UXO.
INTERNATIONAL MINE ACTION PROGRAMS
Ukraine has continued to participate in United
Nations demining operations abroad. The Ukrainian 3rd Separate
Engineers Battalion is carrying out demining operations in southern
Lebanon.[29] In 2001, a
Ukrainian-Polish Joint Peacekeeping Battalion conducted demining operations in
Kosovo.[30]
In 2002, bilateral cooperation between the Ministries of Defense of Ukraine
and Belarus has included studying the experiences of Ukrainian engineers in UN
demining operations, as well as cooperation on the destruction of stockpiles of
landmines.[31]
Ukrainian demining units preparing to take part in UN demining operations in
Lebanon and Africa participated in training sessions at the Ukrainian
International Demining Training Center (IDTC) in Kamenets Podolsky. From June
2001-February 2002, training sessions at IDTC focused on demining, data
collection, minefield mapping and marking, and other technical areas. In
November 2001, the Ministry of Defense sent an official letter to the UN Mine
Action Service and asked about procedures for UN certification and accreditation
for the Ukrainian Demining Center and the new demining company
“UROORONSEVRVICE.”
LANDMINE/UXO CASUALTIES AND SURVIVOR ASSISTANCE
In 2001, there were 18 mine and UXO casualties in
Ukraine; 14 people were killed and four people were
injured.[32]
In accordance with the national law for veterans and persons with
disabilities, Ukraine provided financial support for medical rehabilitation in
sanatoriums for 29,469 war disabled, including 3,150 landmine survivors, in
2001.
On 3 December 2001, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma and Ukrainian
parliamentarians took part in an official ceremony to mark the opening of a new
national center near Kiev for the medical and social rehabilitation of persons
with disabilities. The center’s activities will include vocational
training.[33]
In 2001, President Kuchma signed a series of new State decrees to improve
social protection and medical support for veterans, persons with disabilities,
and victims of war, including mine
survivors.[34]
[1] “Memorandum on Mutually
Beneficial Cooperation between the Government of Canada and the Government of
Ukraine on Destruction of Antipersonnel Landmines Stockpiled by the Armed Forces
of Ukraine and Prohibited by the [Mine Ban Treaty],” 28 January
1999. [2] See:
canadaeuropa.gc.ca/country_ukr_f-7-e.asp. [3]
Ibid. [4] Statement of Sergey
Pashinskiy, Director, Ukrainian Mine Action Information Center, at the Annual
Meeting of the Ukrainian Peacekeepers Association, 24 October
2001. [5] Order of the Government of
Ukraine, 26 October 2001. [6]
Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Express News Agency, 6 February 2002, see:
www.defense-ua.com. [7] Report of
Engineers Forces Command, Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, 18 September 2001.
[8] Ukrainian Mine Action Information
Center, Annual Report 2001. [9]
Statement of Anatoliy Scherba, Head of the Delegation of Ukraine, to the Second
CCW Review Conference, Geneva, December
2001. [10] UCBL coordination is provided
by Ukrainian Peacekeepers Association and the information network is managed by
the Ukrainian Mine Action Information Center.
[11] Press Release, Ukrainian
Peacekeepers Veterans Association, 25 October 2001; see also:
www.mineaction.org/misc/resultdisplayproject.cfm?pro_ID=191. [12]
Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p.
841. [13] Order of the Prime Minister of
Ukraine, No. 426, 22 March 1999; See Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p.
841. [14] Order of the Prime Minister of
Ukraine, No. 426, 22 March 1999. [15]
Information provided by Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and Colonel Zahazhevsky,
US Department of Defense. [16] Ministry
of Emergencies, Annual Report 2001, see:
www.mns.gov.ua. [17] Protocol of
Coordinating Meeting, PFM Series APL Destruction Project in Ukraine, 7 September
2001; UNDP Project “Support to Ukraine Stockpile Destruction,”
accessed at: www.mineaction.org on 22 July
2002. [18] Statement of former Minister
of Foreign Affairs of Canada, John Manley, at the Kiev Institute of
International Relations and the Diplomatic Academy, 5 December
2001. [19] Order of President of
Ukraine, No. 1195/2001, 6 December
2001. [20] LigaOnline (press agency),
accessed at: www.liga.kiev.ua/lenta/get.html?id=31370 on 8 January
2002. [21] UNDP, Ukraine Report, 7
September 2001. [22] Statement of
Lt.-Gen. V. Tereshenko, Head of Ukrainian Inter-Agency Working Team on the
Destruction of Mines, Kiev, 15 March
2002. [23] See:
www.ukraine.ru/stories/01/11/08/1973/91394.html. [24]
Defense Express (news agency) report, 6 February 2002, accessed at:
www.defense-ua.com. [25]
Ibid. [26] Press Release, Ministry of
Defense Press Service, 3 November
2001. [27]
Ibid. [28] Landmine Monitor Report 2001,
p. 843. [29] Press Release, Ministry of
Defense Press Service, 3 November
2001. [30] Press Release, Ministry of
Defense Press Service, February
2002. [31] “Status and Prospects
of Cooperation Between Ministries of Defense of Ukraine and Republic of
Byelorussia,” Defense Express, 11 January
2002. [32] Ukrainian Ministry of
Emergencies, Annual Report 2001, 14 February 2002, available at:
www.mns.gov.ua. [33] Press Release,
Ukrainian Department for Veterans Affairs, 4 December
2001 [34] Press Release No. 23,
Ukrainian Department for Veterans Affairs, December 2001.
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