The United States has agreed to provide some financial assistance to Ukraine for the disarmament and disposal of its 9K72 "Scud" tactical ballistic missiles, Interfax reported yesterday (see GSN, Jan. 22).
Ukraine's defense minister, Valeriy Ivashchenko and U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Ukraine James Pettit sealed an agreement between their two countries that would supply the former Soviet republic with funding for the recycling of melange rocket fuel, used in the nuclear-capable Scud missiles.
"By implementing this project Ukraine will draw a line under the elimination of delivery means for nuclear weapons, and weapons of mass destruction in its territory," Ivaschenko said in Kyiv yesterday, according to a defense ministry press release.
Pettit said the funding program would expire in 2015 and would provide the country with resources for the disposal and recovery of Scud missile system parts and rocket fuel. Ukraine has 16,000 metric tons of unneeded melange stored at its military sites (Interfax/Kyiv Post, Nov. 30).