09:21 05.03.2016

Ukraine to test domestically produced missiles soon

2 min read

Ukraine plans to test missiles which were fully produced by Ukrainian enterprises, National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov has said.

"Our scientists, designers and engineers have ensured the production of all the required components [for missiles] at our Ukrainian enterprises, whereas previously these components were manufactured in cooperation with Russia, giving us the opportunity not only to showcase our missiles at exhibitions, but also to use them in combat situations. Besides, in the nearest future we plan to conduct test launches of missiles, which were entirely domestically produced, as a result of the co-operation of solely Ukrainian enterprises," he said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

Turchynov said the recovery of the rocket industry was the priority for Ukraine's government. "On the one hand, we should develop, as a space state, producing high-tech spacecraft, but we also need to restore the necessary range of combat missiles to defend the country," Turchynov added.

He assured that Ukraine invested a lot of effort in this matter. "I have recently held a meeting with leading designers and managers of defense enterprises, who have expertise in this area [combat missiles]. We have outlined preliminary results, compared plans, and refined details. The work goes smoothly," Turchynov said.

He also noted that it was difficult to recover Ukraine's rocket industry, as the country closely cooperated with Russia until 2014. "Under the current circumstances, after the Crimean occupation, the aggression in the east, there is no room for cooperation in the military and technical sector with Russia. It is a matter of principle," the NSDC Secretary stressed.

At the same time, Turchynov didn't provide details on the type of missiles that were to be tested, saying only that "Ukraine was strengthening its defense in line with its international obligations."

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