Armed Forces
Ukraine: New Armament for the Army and for the National Guard
President Petro Poroshenko took part in an event, during which the Ukrainian National Guard and Armed Forces received 141 new pieces of equipment and armament. Among the inventory above, jet fighters, helicopters, self-propelled artillery, rocket launchers and armoured vehicles were included.
The event related to the said transfer of the equipment manufactured and modernized by the state-owned facilities took place on 23rd August, within the area of an airbase located in the Kharkiv district, in presence of President Poroshenko. The Ukrainian leader stressed the significance of the conflict in the Eastern part of Ukraine, in relation to the reform implemented within the Army, and to the needs of upgrading the employed inventory.
Each of the citizens shall have a chance to see the equipment and weaponry he or she pays for by paying taxes (...) I am sure that you, our soldiers and officers, are going to use the equipment and armament you receive today to the maximum of its abilities (...) A new, Ukrainian army was born in the tough fights, not only is it strong spiritually, as it is also strong skill- and experience-wise, with skills and experience acquired throughout the last two years.
141 pieces of equipment and armament were presented at the airfield by the Ukroboronprom company, prior to handing the new weaponry off to the units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and of the Ukrainian National Guard, the components which remain operationally active within the Donbas area.
The following equipment paraded in front of the President: T-64BW and T-80 main battle tanks, 2S3 Akatsya and 2S7 Peony self propelled artillery platforms, BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, BTR-3DA and BTR-80 armoured personnel carriers, Grad and Uragan rocket launchers and heavy duty and passenger vehicles. Moreover, modernized An-26 transport aircraft, along with Mi-8MSB helicopters and MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters were also showcased at the airbase. Vast majority of the presented equipment has been manufactured just recently, while the remaining inventory went through extensive overhauls and modernization.
After the official part of the event came to an end, Poroshenko was given an opportunity to watch a dynamic display, conducted along with a live firing display, involving the T-64BW tanks, and BMP-2, BTR-80 and BTR-3DA vehicles and the ZSU-23-4 AAA system.