Oleksandr Turchynov: Ukrainian military should receive new types of equipment and weapons
At the Honcharivsky shooting range of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov participated in the tests of new weapons and military equipment developed by enterprises of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex.
In particular, a wide range of new weapons manufactured at Ukrainian enterprises was presented and tested: machine guns, sniper rifles, hand anti-tank grenade launchers, mortars, modern anti-tank missile systems, and ammunition.
Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine paid special attention to thermobaric munitions, which for the time being are virtually absent from the front.
According to him, an effective firing of targets during the tests of hand thermobaric grenade and rocket-propelled anti-personnel flame thrower was demonstrated. "The military of the Armed Forces of Ukraine should soon receive them for arming", - Oleksandr Turchynov stressed.
During the mortar tests, designers and manufacturers reported to Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine that the remarks of the military received during the combat use of 120-millimeter Ukrainian mortars had been taken into account, and the deficiencies were corrected.
"The 60-millimeter mortar, - according to Mr. Turchynov, - is also promising for use in the ATO zone, it is capable of accurately hitting the targets and does not fall under the prohibition of the Minsk agreements".
Among military equipment demonstrated were the unmanned aircraft complex "Gorlitsa" and the modernized unmanned tactical multi-purpose armored vehicle "Phantom-2" equipped with a powerful missile weapon, which, as Mr. Turchynov said, "is able to frighten the enemy with its single look". "If our enemies see it, they will surrender without waiting until it opens the fire", - Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine joked.
According to him, while military aggression is ongoing, "the priority for us is to ensure the production of ammunition, in particular, large caliber shells". "It is for this purpose that additional financing is provided for this and determined by changes to the current year's budget", - he added.
Moreover, Oleksandr Turchynov emphasized that one of the problems that require an immediate resolution is "the absence of new weapons among our military who defend Ukraine in the East". "Without the use in combat conditions of such complexes as "Stugna" particularly, Russian tanks will continue to shoot our positions with impunity", - he said.
At the same time, Mr. Turchynov pointed out that "despite the tasks set by the NSDC of Ukraine, it has still not been possible to significantly reduce the time from the development of weapons and military equipment to their effective use in combat conditions". It was this issue to which a meeting held by the Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine with the heads of the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff and the defense-industrial complex on the shooting range after the tests was devoted.
During the tests of modern weapons and military equipment, military servicemen from many foreign countries interested in the acquisition of Ukrainian weapons and equipment were also present.