04.12.2014
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine
Source: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=695112617194887&id=635416686497814&stream_ref=10

I didn’t quite get the meaning of yesterday’s announcement  by Acting Defense Minister, Colonel-General Mykhaylo Kovalev, that, as of today, a radical rearmament of the Ukrainian army is not expedient.

He noted that, “Ukraine is not a rich state, and therefore it is still early to talk of radical rearmament. For now, the characteristics of existing weapons are enough for the performance of the tasks before the army.”

Maybe we should face reality? Not to disclose our terrible military secrets (though in Russia they are well aware of them), but let us recall well-known facts. For example, where do we have tactical missiles? Or maybe, general Koval thinks that the tactical system “Tochka” of 40 years ago is enough? And what do we have by means of EW or radio intelligence equipment (although Ukraine produces it)? Wherever you spit there are questions on top of questions – and it’s no secret.

Granted, this is not the time to talk about problems. But why say that they do not exist at all? After all, it’s a reason for the authorities to wave away the army – look, they themselves assert that everything is wonderful.

We must understand what is clear to the whole country and even to politicians who don’t specialize in army issues: on the strength of our armed forces depends the possibility of Ukraine’s future existence as a sovereign state. Without an army, Ukraine may no longer exist – neither as “a poor state,” nor in any other condition. That is why it is necessary to squarely pose the question of army rearmament now.

One can’t help remembering a case from history, when Stalin demanded the commander of the Eastern Front, General Apanasenko, to reposition all anti-tank guns from the Far East to the West. General hotly objected to Stalin: “And if the Japanese attack us, how will I defend the Far East? With these stripes?” In the end, Stalin decided not to reposition the guns.

And the Ukrainian generals, it seems, will apparently defend Ukraine with those stripes.

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http://rpdefense.over-blog.com/2014/04/ukraine-the-agenda-is-the-rearmament-of-military-forces.html