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Ukraine
Mine Ban Policy
Mine Ban Policy Overview
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Mine Ban Treaty status |
State Party |
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National implementation measures |
None reported |
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Transparency reporting |
1 April 2013 |
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Meetings |
Attended the Twelfth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in Geneva in December 2012, as well as the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in May 2013 |
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Key Developments |
In early 2012, Ukraine’s parliament ratified an agreement with NATO to destroy a portion of its stockpile of PFM-type mines |
Ukraine signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 24 February 1999 and ratified on 27 December 2005, becoming a State Party on 1 June 2006. Ukraine has not enacted national legislation, including penal sanctions, to enforce the prohibitions of the Mine Ban Treaty domestically as required in Article 9. Legislation to ratify an agreement with a NATO agency to destroy stockpiles was adopted in 2012.[1]
Ukraine submitted its seventh Article 7 report on 1 April 2013, for the period 1 January 2012 to 1 January 2013.
Ukraine attended the Twelfth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in Geneva in December 2012 and the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in May 2013. At both meetings, Ukraine provided updates on its stockpile destruction process.
Ukraine is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons and its Amended Protocol II on landmines and Protocol V on explosive remnants of war. It submitted national annual reports as required by the protocols, both on 30 March 2012.
Production and Transfer
Ukraine has declared that it “has not made and does not produce antipersonnel mines.”[2] It has not produced antipersonnel mines since its independence.[3] Ukraine is not known to have exported antipersonnel mines. Its 1999 moratorium on the export of antipersonnel mines, formally in place through 2003, in practice stayed in effect until the Mine Ban Treaty entered into force for Ukraine in 2006.
Stockpiling and destruction
Ukraine missed its 1 June 2010 treaty-mandated deadline for the destruction of all stockpiled antipersonnel mines and has therefore been in violation of the Mine Ban Treaty since then.[4] The requirement to destroy almost six million PFM-type antipersonnel mines was a key obstacle that prevented Ukraine from rapidly ratifying the Mine Ban Treaty.[5] For years, Ukraine repeated at nearly every formal and informal Mine Ban Treaty meeting that it would depend on international support for the destruction of its stockpiles.[6]
The types and quantities of antipersonnel mines Ukraine has reported in its stockpile have varied over the years. The highest total of 6,664,342 mines of nine different types was detailed in Landmine Monitor Report 2006.[7] In its Article 7 report for calendar year 2012, Ukraine declared a stockpile of 5,916,696 antipersonnel mines: 5,767,600 PFM-type remotely-delivered mines and 149,096 POM-2 remotely-delivered mines. It did not report on 4,105 OZM-4 hand-emplaced bounding fragmentation mines that were declared as stockpiled in the previous year’s report.[8]
In its 2013 Article 7 report, Ukraine declared the destruction of 22,604 mines in 2012: 19,104 PFM mines and 3,500 ОZM-4 mines.[9] It reported the destruction of 9,890 mines in 2011.[10]
Since 1999, Ukraine has destroyed significant quantities of stockpiled antipersonnel mines using both its own resources and international assistance.[11] In May 2012, Ukraine said that it had destroyed a total of 875,380 antipersonnel mines so far.[12] In its May 2013 presentation, Ukraine stated that it has destroyed 3,659 clusters of KSF-1 mines containing 263,448 PFM-1 mines.
A solid waste incinerator capable of destroying PFM mines is located at the Pavlograd Chemical Plant. Ukraine received US$1 million from Norway to purchase new equipment (dry ceramic filters and a cooling system) to improve the facility and bring it up to European safety and environmental standards.[13] In December 2011, Ukraine announced that the equipment was installed and the facility was in operation with the capacity to destroy 1.1 million PFM mines per year.[14]
On 21 September 2011, Ukraine and the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) signed an agreement to implement a project to destroy 2.7 million PFM mines in cassettes and blocks using €2.35 million (US$1.27 million) in funding coming from the European Union (EU) through a NATO/Partnership for Peace (PfP) Trust Fund over a period of three years.[15]
In May 2012, Ukraine reported that its parliament had passed the necessary legislative measures to ratify the agreement with NAMSA, and also planned to contribute national funds to the cost of the project.[16] At the Twelfth Meeting of States Parties in December 2012, Ukraine stated that the “large-scale” destruction of the landmine stockpile would begin in January 2013 and said that one million mines will be destroyed each year.[17]
At the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in May 2013, Ukraine described the signing of a contract on 1 February 2013 by NATO and the Ministry of Defence for the Pavlograd plant as a “key milestone” and said that a ceremony with the Ministry of Defence and local government was held at the plant on 21 March 2013. Ukraine said that it is taking steps to complete the construction of facilities where the mines will be dismantled. It stated that the “capabilities we are putting in place demonstrate we are doing everything in our power to get there.” [18]
In the May 2013 presentation, Ukraine stated that the deadline for destroying the stockpile will depend on funding from the EU and noted that “since 2010” Ukraine has been waiting for the EU funds to be dispersed.[19] It also reported that funding from Germany allowed it to begin destruction through September 2013, but not at full capacity. In May 2013, the ICBL expressed disappointment that the EU funds had still not been transferred and urged the EU “to do everything in is power to end the administrative blockages and enable Ukraine to fulfill its treaty obligations.” The ICBL noted that a plan for acquisition of a second kiln was proceeding, but said it is not clear if funding was in place for this destruction.[20]
However, the incinerator and destruction process currently in place at Pavlograd can only be used to destroy PFM-1 and PFM-1S self-destructing mines contained in “cassettes” and “blocks” for the KMG-U aerial dispenser. A significant amount of Ukraine’s remaining stockpile consists of PFM-1S self-destructing mines contained in 220mm rocket warheads, approximately 3.19 million mines, and the destruction of theses mines will require different disassembly procedures.[21]
Ukraine has not provided clear information on plans to destroy the PFM mines contained in 220mm rocket warheads not covered by its agreement with NAMSA. In its May 2013 presentation, it reported that a second kiln financed by the United States government will be available to destroy additional PFM mines after completion of a project to destroy ICBM SS-24 Solid Propellant.[22] But it did not explain when that would be, nor how it would obtain financing for the destruction. It was also unclear whether either kiln would be involved in destroying the mines that need special disassembly processes. Nor has Ukraine publicly announced plans to destroy its stockpile of 149,096 POM-2 mines. At the May 2013 intersessional meetings, the ICBL urged Ukraine to explain the status of destruction plans for the stockpiled POM-2 mines.[23]
Mines Retained
While it had previously declared the destruction of all of the mines retained for training and research purposes, in Ukraine’s Article 7 report for calendar year 2012 it listed a total of 605 OZM-4 mines retained for training.[24]
Ukraine originally indicated that it would retain 1,950 mines (950 PMN and 1,000 PMN-2) for training and research purposes.[25] This number was reduced to 223 mines in 2007, and was further reduced to 211 in 2008, 187 in 2009, and 170 mines in 2010.[26] Ukraine reported that the destruction of the remaining 170 mines (50 PMN and 120 PMN-2) took place in 2011.[27] In June 2011, Ukraine stated that it had destroyed the “rest of 211 PMN mines”.[28]
[1] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form A, 1 April 2012.
[3] For example, in May 2009, Ukraine said it “did not produce APL [antipersonnel landmines] in the past, doesn’t produce at present, and will not produce them in the future.” Presentation by Ukraine, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 25 May 2009.
[4] On 18 May 2010, Ukraine officially informed States Parties in a note verbale that “it will be unable to comply with its Article 4 obligation to destroy stockpiled anti-personnel mines by 1 June 2010 deadline.” At the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in June 2010, after Ukraine missed its deadline, Ukraine’s representative noted that this is not “unexpected information to States Parties” and that “Ukraine remains open for the fruitful cooperation with States Parties and potential donors and hopes for the practical assistance to make Ukraine territory free from [antipersonnel mine] stockpiles of PFM-type as soon as possible.” See statement by Amb. Oleksandr Nykonenko, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 21 June 2010.
[5] PFM mines contain a liquid explosive filling (VS6-D) that makes them dangerous and difficult to destroy, and requires sophisticated pollution control measures. In mid-2003, a European Commission (EC) technical study determined that the condition of Ukraine’s PFM stockpiles was good. The mines were consolidated into two sites, from a previous total of 13 storage locations. See Landmine Monitor Report 2006, p. 765.
[6] In 2002, the EC launched a project to finance the destruction of Ukraine’s PFM mines, but a contract awarded in December 2005 was cancelled in April 2007. In 2008, Ukraine said it had decided to make a national financial contribution toward destruction of about 1.6 million of the PFM mines, and also requested a renewal of European Union assistance. In 2009 and 2010, Ukraine said on multiple occasions that it was unlikely to meet its stockpile destruction deadline. It appealed to States Parties in May 2009 to find a “joint solution” to the problem and to come up with an option that would “prevent Ukraine from violating the Article 4 deadline” including international financial assistance to modernize destruction facilities and to acquire additional equipment. In a statement at the Mine Ban Treaty Second Review Conference in Cartagena on 2 December 2009, Amb. Nykonenko of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Ukraine could destroy one million mines per year if the destruction facility was upgraded, and that with additional assistance, the timeframe might be reduced to three years.
[7] For a chart showing the changes on the quantities and types of stockpiled antipersonnel mines from 2006–2009, see Landmine Monitor Report 2009, p. 774.
[8] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form B, 1 April 2012.
[9] The Pavlograd Chemical Plant destroyed 5,184 PFM mines, while the engineer force units destroyed 13,920 PFM mines. The 3,500 ОZM-4 mines were dismantled and destroyed at the Donetsk Chemical Plant. Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form G, 1 April 2013.
[10] Fifty PMN and 120 PMN-2 mines previously retained for training and research purposes and 9,720 stockpiled PFM mines. Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form G, 1 April 2012.
[11] In a November 2008 presentation, Ukraine indicated it had destroyed its entire stock of 238,010 POMZ-2 and POMZ-2M mines, as well as all 8,060 PMD-6 mines. It also destroyed more than 400,000 PMN mines in 2002 and 2003. Ukraine also destroyed 101,088 PFM-1 mines in 1999. In June 2008, Ukraine reported that between 2005 and 2007, an experimental program to partially dismantle and destroy 8,000 POM-2 mines was carried out at the Donetsk Chemical Plant, and a further 48 POM-2 mines were destroyed at the Pavlograd Chemical Plant. In its Article 7 reports submitted in 2007, 2008, and 2009, Ukraine also noted that while its MON-type and OZM-type antipersonnel mines can be used in command-detonated mode in compliance with the Mine Ban Treaty, these stockpiled mines are excessive and not suitable for use, and it has plans to destroy them.
[12] Presentation by Ukraine, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 21 May 2012.
[13] Statement of Ukraine, Mine Ban Treaty Tenth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 2 December 2010.
[14] Statement of Ukraine, Mine Ban Treaty Eleventh Meeting of the States Parties, Phnom Penh, 1 December 2011.
[15] The agreement is Phase II of a broader €25 million ($35 million) demilitarization project being conducted under the auspices of NATO/PfP and numerous NATO member states. Interview with NAMSA Representative, Kiev, 8 November 2011; and statement of Ukraine, Mine Ban Treaty Eleventh Meeting of the States Parties, Phnom Penh, 1 December 2011. Average exchange rate for 2011: €1=US$1.3931. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2012.
[16] The Information Department of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Law “On ratification of the implementation agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and NATO Maintenance and Supply Organisation (NAMSO) on utilization of infantry weapon, light weapon, conventional ammunition, and antipersonnel mines PFM-1,” 13 January 2012, rada.gov.ua/?art_id=296821&cat_id=105995. See also, statement of Ukraine, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 21 May 2012.
[17] Statement of Ukraine, Mine Ban Treaty Twelfth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 6 December 2012. Notes by the ICBL.
[18] Presentation of Ukraine, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 27 May 2013. Notes by the ICBL.
[19] Ibid.
[20] Statement of the ICBL, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 27 May 2013.
[21] The technical challenge with the destruction of PFM-1S mines occurs when they are removed from the rocket warhead; the mines must get into the incinerator within 30 minutes because it is not possible to scientifically predict whether handling the mines during disassembly of the warhead section will activate the mine’s self-destruct system. ICBL interviews with management and technical staff at Pavlograd Chemical Plant, Ukraine, 9 November 2011. See also briefing materials from State Enterprise Research-Industrial Complex Pavlograd Chemical Plant, “Execution of Works on Disposal of Antipersonnel PFM Mines,” 9 November 2011.
[22] Presentation of Ukraine, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 27 May 2013.
[23] Statement of the ICBL, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 27 May 2013.
[24] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form D, 1 April 2013.
[25] Ibid., 11 April 2007. It is unclear what stockpiles these mines came from because Ukraine had reported the destruction of all its PMN-type mines in 2002 and 2003.
[26] The new quantity retained was 103 PMN and 120 PMN-2. The remaining 847 PMN and 880 PMN-2 mines were apparently not consumed during training activities, but simply destroyed as unnecessary for retention. Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form D and Form G, 20 April 2008. See subsequent Article 7 reports for successive annual totals.
[27] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form G, 1 April 2012.
[28] Statement of Ukraine, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 20 June 2011.
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