Defense Ministry to destroy 26,000 tons of ammunition

The Defense Ministry plans to destroy 26,000 tons of ammunition this year and 14,600 tons have already been destroyed, Defense Minister Anatoly Hrytsenko told the press.

According to him, 740,000 tons out of the 1.4 million tons of ammunition belonging to the Armed Forces are surplus and subject to destruction.

There are a total of 35 arsenals and bases of strategic importance on Ukrainian territory, the minister said.

He said that the ministry plans to reduce the number of the arsenals and bases to 19 by the year 2011.

In total, according to him, Ukraine has 154 military facilities where weapons are kept.

Hrytsenko stressed that there exists the possibility of selling surplus ammunition through the Ukrspetseksport state enterprise.