What it takes to upgrade Ukraine’s military

Squeezed between two power blocs, Ukraine will inevitably join one. It cannot afford its non-aligned status and the upcoming military reform will not help

The new military reform entails a transfer to a volunteer professional army in 2014 and a significant reduction in military personnel. In reality, it seems to be nothing more than an attempt to save money

A new study by independent conflict researchers describes a heavy volume of traffic in the past two years from Ukraine’s Oktyabrsk port, just up the Black Sea coast from Odessa, to Syria’s main ports on the Mediterranean, Jobby Warrick writes for The Washington Post

Vladimir Putin has announced military reforms involving a large-scale rearmament of Russia. Success is not guaranteed, but Moscow will be able to do even more sabre-rattling before its neighbours and the West

While declaring its non-alignment the Ukrainian government expressed its intent to integrate Ukraine into the European security system. The real steps it has taken suggest, however, the implementation of an operation designed to cause the self-destruction of Ukraine’s Armed Forces

Ukraine’s Navy, set up 20 years ago, is struggling to survive

The government is consolidating the Russian nation to build up “the military power of the state”

To set up the Yavoriv military training ground, 128 villages and hamlets were removed, but one indigenous craft has survived

Research supervisor, Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Studies; Chief Editor, Arms Export and Defense Complex of Ukraine magazine

A massive layoff of officers could leave Ukraine’s army weaker and its police more corrupt