The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine signed a tripartite contract with the NATO Maintenance & Supply Agency (NAMSA) and the Ukrainian enterprises for recycling obsolete conventional ammunition, small arms and light weapons. Within 3-4 years it is planned to demilitarize 73,500 tons of Ukrainian conventional ammunition, 366,000 units of small arms and 3 million of anti-infantry high-explosive mines PFM-1.

The signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in the NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine.

"This is one of the largest demilitarization projects in the world," said Bulent Tudes, Programme Manager at NATO's Maintenance & Supply Agency (NAMSA).

According to him, the works will involve manufacturing facilities of the state-run company Ukroboronlizing in Kamianets-Podilsky on the disposal of small arms, state-run company Ukroboronservis in the village of Hrechany, Khmelnytsky region, on the disposal of conventional munitions, test station of the State Scientific Research Institute of Chemical Products in Shostka, Sumy region, and Donetsk State Factory of Chemical Products.

"We expect that in future the list of companies will expand, and it will also include Pavlohrad Chemical Plant," Tudes noted. 

According to Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Pliatsuk, unsuitable for further use munitions as part of the contracts signed will be disposed from bases and arsenals located in the settlements of Tsvytokha, Khmelnytsky region, Kalynivka, Vinnytsia region, and Znamianka, Kirovohrad region. 

The contracts for disposal of obsolete munitions were signed in the framework of implementing a second phase of the NATO Partnership for Peace Trust Fund in Ukraine. Contribution of the Trust Fund into the second phase will be about EUR 25 million. Overall, the budget will reach EUR 50 million, taking into account the Ministry of Defense's budget money intended for the disposal of obsolete ammunition, small arms and light weapons.