Yanukovych asking Rada to admit foreign military units to Ukraine for international drills in 2013
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has submitted to the parliament a bill on the admission of the armed forces of foreign states to Ukraine for participation in multinational military exercises in 2013.
The bill was registered in the Verkhovna Rada on April 8.
Based on a proposal of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Yanukovych suggests admitting military units of foreign states to Ukraine for their participation in multinational military exercises in 2013, including the units of the Armed Forces of Belarus (up to 100 servicemen and up to seven aircraft) for two days between April and November, those of Russia (up to 100 servicemen and up to seven aircraft) for two days between April and November; military units of Russia (up to 1,000 servicemen with weapons and military equipment, up to nine ships, up to three aircraft, and up to three helicopters, and one submarine) for up to seven days between May and June for the Ukrainian-Russian exercises Fairway of Peace 2013.
In addition, the president offered to admit to the territory of Ukraine military units of the United States, other NATO members-states and states participating in the Partnership for Peace program (up to 1,500 servicemen with weapons and military equipment, up to nine ships, and two submarines, and up to 12 aircraft and helicopters) for a period of up to twenty days between June and July as part of the Ukrainian-U.S. exercises Sea Breeze 2013; military units of the United States, other NATO member states and countries participating in the Partnership for Peace (up to 1,000 servicemen with weapons and military equipment, up to five aircraft and 10 helicopters) for up to twenty days in July - September for the Ukrainian-U.S. drills Rapid Trident 2013; military units of Canada, Lithuania and Poland (up to 400 servicemen with weapons and military equipment) for up to twenty days between August and September to participate in the Maple Arch 2013 multinational military exercises.
The law will come into force on the day of its publishing.
