Georgia's arms deals with Ukraine
By Messenger Staff
Monday, June 28
Georgia received arms from the Ukraine in 2006-2007 when its Prime Minister was current President Viktor Yanukovich. Former Director General of UkrSpecexport Sergey Bondarchuk says that this company was involved in exporting Ukrainian arms to Georgia and other countries. In 2006 Georgia received around USD 65 million worth of Ukrainian armaments, in 2007 around USD 81 million's worth. Subsequently it received around USD 50 million's worth in 2008 and only USD 8.3 million's worth in 2009.
Bondarchuk states that the arms deals with Georgia were absolutely legal and transparent because arms export in Ukraine is strictly regulated by legislation. The sharp fall in the value of the deals made in 2009 was produced by the Russian hysteria against Georgia after the August 2008 war.
Bondarchuk states that selling arms to Georgia is a profitable business for Ukraine and it will continue in 2010. However Ukraine’s current PM Vladimir Sirkovich calls these comments provocative. He says that former Ukrainian President Viktor Youshchenko personally controlled UkrSpecexport and personally monitored the supply of arms to Georgia, and though Yanukovich several times tried to reorganise the company and regulate the arms supply to Georgia he failed to do so because Youshchenko’s administration controlled it.
Bondarchuk states that the arms deals with Georgia were absolutely legal and transparent because arms export in Ukraine is strictly regulated by legislation. The sharp fall in the value of the deals made in 2009 was produced by the Russian hysteria against Georgia after the August 2008 war.
Bondarchuk states that selling arms to Georgia is a profitable business for Ukraine and it will continue in 2010. However Ukraine’s current PM Vladimir Sirkovich calls these comments provocative. He says that former Ukrainian President Viktor Youshchenko personally controlled UkrSpecexport and personally monitored the supply of arms to Georgia, and though Yanukovich several times tried to reorganise the company and regulate the arms supply to Georgia he failed to do so because Youshchenko’s administration controlled it.