page_title: Ministry of Defence (Ukraine)
section_title: Post-Soviet Union
hierarchical_section_title: Ministry of Defence (Ukraine) / History / Post-Soviet Union
caption_attribution_description: Українська: Нагрудний знак, Міністерство оборони України
context_page_description: The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine was established on 24 September 1991, one month after Ukraine's declaration of independence resolution. The ministry was put in charge of all Soviet military forces reorganization on the territory of Ukrainian jurisdiction.
  The President of Ukraine is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Since 4 March 2020 Andriy Taran is Ukraine's Defence Minister.
  In 1994 Ukraine voluntarily gave up all nuclear weapons. The ministry spent significant funds eliminating former nuclear powers, military bases and man-power equipment to meet Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe requirements.
context_section_description: In 1991, Ukraine inherited one of the largest military forces not only in the post-communist area, but in all of Europe (excluding Russia). This included 780,000 formerly Soviet military personnel, one rocket army, four Air Force armies, a separate air defense army, and the Black Sea Fleet. Altogether, when established, the Armed Forces of Ukraine included more than 350 ships, 1500 combat aircraft, and 1272 strategic nuclear war-heads of intercontinental ballistic missiles. This force was designed to confront NATO in full-scale warfare, using conventional and nuclear weapons.
  On 24 September 1991, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the resolution about the process of taking under its jurisdiction of all military units of former Soviet Armed Forces, situated on the territory of Ukraine; and about the establishment of one of the Ministry of Defence. Hence, the country became the first among the former Soviet republics to establish a ministry of defence. The ministry and the Ukrainian government subsequently, began establishing the different military branches of Ukraine.
  The political preference of Ukraine authority on the non-nuclear and non-coalition state status was made to be the foundation of the Armed Forces organization process. But equally as important to the foundation were the limitations, connected with approval of the Agreement "On conventional Armed Forces in Europe" and implementation of the Tashkent Agreement of 1992, which establish not only maximal levels of arms for each state of former USSR. Therefore, between 1992 and 1997 the number of military personnel in Ukraine was nearly halved.
  In a short span of time, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed some legislative acts concerning the military sphere: The conception for Defence and organization of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the resolution "On Security Council of Ukraine", Laws of Ukraine "On Defence of Ukraine", "On the Armed Forces of Ukraine", and Military Doctrine of Ukraine. Mostly related to structural control of the Armed Forces.
  In addition, Ukraine began its nuclear weapons disarmament program in the early 90s. By 1 June 1996, there was no nuclear weapon in Ukraine.
  During the first few years of independence, the national Defence Ministry built the basics for a functional defense system, in spite of different difficulties of that time (which included; hyperinflation, transition from a Socialist to a Capitalist economic system and the loss of 60% of the country's GDP). Ministry of Defence, the General Staff, branches of the Armed Forces, executive system and a training system of the Armed Forces were established in this short span of time. After some time, it became apparent that the process of the Armed Forces improvement had just begun. And the problem was that not only there were no special system and efficient plan for resolving the military development problems of that time, but also that it was lack of trained personnel for its development and realization.
  A shuffle in the military department's administration had a rather negative effect on the process of military development. From 1991 till 1996, three Ministers of Defence and four Chiefs of General Staff were changed. About 70% of administrative staff was changed in the early stages of forming the Armed Forces of Ukraine. All military district commanders, army commanders, corps and division commanders were changed several times over. This problem was complicated by the countries instability, connected with international dislocation of military personnel. About 12000 officers pledged their allegiance to other countries (Mostly Russia) and more than 33000 personnel came back to serve the Ukrainian army between 1991 till 1994.
  No doubt, that the main reason of dissatisfied realization of the main procedures of the Armed Forces development process was permanent reduction of common part of expenses for National Defence at all; expenses for the Armed Forces, purchases of armament and military vehicles, providing the research engineering and design efforts.
caption: Insignia of the Ministry of Defence
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