Military History 1997-2000
In 1997 The country’s military and political leadership once again began correlating the directions of the defense reform and identifying new priorities for arms modernization. However, in conditions of chronic budget expenditure shortfalls, this all amounted to no more than a declaration of intentions. Nonetheless, certain transformations did occur.
In January 1997, the President of Ukraine approved the State Program for the Construction and Development of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the period until 2005. This started the second stage of military construction in Ukraine. The first year of implementation of the provisions of the State Program for the Construction and Development of the Armed Forces of Ukraine made significant changes to the list of measures and their implementation dates.
On January 21, 1997, the Decree of the President of Ukraine approved the Regulations "On the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine" and "On the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine". The Ministry of Defense and the General Staff of the Armed Forces received their separate Regulations for the first time, which was not only a further streamlining of their powers and responsibilities, but also an important step towards establishing democratic civilian control over the defense sphere.
The powers of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine significantly expanded to include state defense planning and operational management. From now on, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine received the right to control the execution of tasks related to the organization of state defense by all military formations of Ukraine. The powers of the Ministry of Defense were significantly clarified.
In 1997, the cycle of strategic defense planning of Ukraine was conducted for the first time. According to its conclusion, the President of Ukraine approved the Strategic Decision on the Use of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
At the beginning of June 1997, one of the most difficult issues was finally resolved - the issue of the Black Sea Fleet. The Agreement on the status, conditions and term of stay of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine was signed. On August 1, 1997, Ukraine first celebrated the Day of the Naval Forces of Ukraine.
Since 1998, a new system of military-administrative distribution of the territory of Ukraine was introduced. Instead of military districts, operational commands were formed. Functionally, they became operational-strategic associations, designed to perform both in peacetime and in wartime operational, mobilization and territorial defense tasks within the limits set for them, as well as technical, rear, medical and other types of support for troops (forces ), located in their territories, regardless of departmental subordination, with all types of provisions -- technical, logistics, and medical among others.
At the beginning of 1999, a transition was made to a new system of logistics provision based on location. This made it possible to streamline and reduce the number of logistics entities, ensure the integration of logistics resources, forces and capabilities and to enable their comprehensive and effective use for the benefit of all the entities within the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to the proposals of the President of Ukraine, the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of December 22, 1998 approved the number of Armed Forces: as of December 31, 1998 — 320,000 servicemen and 100,000 workers; as of December 31, 1999 — 310,000 servicemen and 90,000 workers.
During the implementation of the State program for the construction and development of the Armed Forces of Ukraine regarding the improvement of the structure of the troops (forces), the results of operational training of management bodies were constantly taken into account. Planning and implementation of operational training activities began to be carried out according to a single plan and plan and against a single operational-strategic background.
Since the beginning of 1999, the transition to a new system of rear support based on the territorial principle was carried out. Thanks to its implementation, it was possible to unify and reduce the number of rear structures, to ensure the integration of rear resources, forces and means and their complex and effective use in the interests of all structures of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
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