Project to destroy surplus munitions and arms in Ukraine

A NATO team of experts met in Ukraine this week to start a project that will result in the safe destruction of 133,000 tons of munitions and 1.5 million small arms and light weapons.

The first phase of this initiative will be the development of a feasibility study and will be led by Greece. This will include identification of Ukrainian contractors capable of developing and undertaking technical procedures necessary to demilitarise a range of munitions in a safe and cost effectively manner within a strict budget.

This project is initiated under NATO's Partnership for Peace Trust Fund, which was established in 2000 to assist partner countries in destroying surplus munitions. It is the second such project in Ukraine. The first project to destroy 400,000 antipersonnel landmines was officially launched in Donetsk on 10 July 2002.

The current project is an initiative of the governments of Greece and Ukraine, with funding provided by Greece, Turkey and Germany. NATO's Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) is the executing agency for the project.