Number of professional soldiers decreasing in Ukrainian army, says ex-defense minister

Kyiv, January 29 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Former Defense Minister and Regions Party MP Oleksandr Kuzmuk has said that the number of professional soldiers in the Ukrainian armed forces is decreasing.

"In 2009, a total of 130 servicemen were employed in the army under contracts, while 258 retired," he said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Thursday.

Kuzmuk expressed astonishment that the number of professional soldiers is falling, with the unemployment rate rising.

He said that these trends were registered last year when the national army received 6,520 professional soldiers and discharged 5,540.

Speaking of the problem with the army's funding, Kuzmuk said that soldiers had remained above the poverty line.

"What NATO can we talk about?" he said.

The MP said that the country had done everything to destroy its recently powerful army.

Kuzmuk said that this year, at least UAH 17.5 billion should be allocated to financing the Ukrainian army. This year's state budget foresees only 34% of the necessary amount.