100 days: from crisis management to systemic development

One hundred days is the time traditionally given to a new team to consolidate its work course, plan details and to demonstrate the first results.

To objectively assess all the work done in the Ministry of Defence, I suggest all those interested in to address to my speeches in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine during the assignment (November 4, 2021) and during the “question hour to the Government” on December 3, 2021. They can be used as a base for comparison.

So, without further ado, let me move on to what we have done in these 100 days:

• Effectively fulfilled a budget plan of 2021.

• Budget utilization rate – 99.7%. Although, you remember what the prognosis in November was.

•  Provided funds for the State Defence Order.

• Rate of implementation – 99.75%. As of December 1, the rate was 85%. We have fill up current needs and invested in several perspective national developments that will provide advantages for our army in two or three years.

●  Additional 2.5 billion hryvnas were added to the MoD budget for 2022.

• Today we have the largest budget of more than 133 billion hryvnas over the whole period of Independence.
• Including 29 billion hryvnas on weapons and military equipment.
• By implementing these 2.5 billion hryvnas we started programmes of gradual salary rise in the Armed Forces.
• Medics and pilots have already received the rise, the rise for snipers and SOF will come shortly, etc.
• And these are only the first steps. The proposals of the MoD for additional 11.8 billion hryvnas in 2022 to allocate for salary rise and priority needs have been sent to the members of parliament and registered as a draft change to the Ukraine’s National Budget for 2022.

• We resumed a rhythmic work with the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence. I want to thank a head of the Special Committee Oleksandr Zavitnevych and the members of the Committee on behalf of all fractions and groups for co-operation and support. There is a wide spectrum of results.

• The open part of an annual and a three-year defence procurement plan of the Ministry has been adopted. The closed part is thoroughly being worked on. The Committee did its part of a work on February 10. Now it is turn for the National Security and Defence Council and the Government.
• In December, an act of the Verkhovna Rada on the President’s decision on providing permission for foreign troops to take part in exercises was operatively conducted.
• In January, the Agreement with the Government of the Great Britain was ratified in the interests of the Ukrainian Navy, etc.

• We provided a full synergy in co-operation with the General Staff. We closely cooperate with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Lieutenant General Yevhen Moisiuk, Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Serhii Shaptala and their colleagues.

• We have repeatedly visited our soldiers in the JFO area, observed exercises, etc.
• If need arises, I am in direct contact with the commanders of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
• The Ministry and the Army are beginning to act as a whole, understanding the common aims.

•  We are developing synergy with the Ministry of Strategic Industries. More time is needed for the visible results because of the plans, production cycles, etc. More to be seen at the end of the year.

• Our military diplomacy has been notably reinvigorated. We make our propositions as reasonable and transparent as possible for our partners. We explain the logic behind our actions and requests. And it works.