Russia, Ukraine Revise Nitka Facility Lease

Russia and Ukraine signed on Monday a protocol on amendments to an agreement on the rent of facilities on Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula for training of Russian carrier pilots.
In line with a 1997 bilateral agreement, Russia occasionally uses the Nitka Naval Pilot Training Center in Ukraine as the only training facility for its carrier pilots.
“During a meeting of a subcommittee [of the Russian-Ukrainian Interstate Commission], the sides signed a protocol on the use of the Ukrainian Nitka training facility by the Russian military,” Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said.
The new protocol envisions monetary payment for the use of Nitka facilities, an unrestricted range of naval aircraft used for training and testing, and the possibility of sharing the center with third parties.
Under the original agreement, Russia remunerated Ukraine for the use of the Nitka facilities with spare parts for Su-family naval fighter jets, which were the only type allowed to operate at the center. Russia and Ukraine were the only countries to use Nitka.

BTR-4 equipped with BM-7 Parus module weapon system

BTR-4 WITH MOUNTED FIRE UNIT PARUS (BM-7)Ukraine

The weapon station is equipped with armament system including 30mm automatic gun, 7.62mm co-axial machine gun, 30mm automatic grenade launcher, anti-tank guided missiles system installed on the platform stabilized in two planes.

Weapon station is equipped with optical-television sight system. Information is displayed on the gunner's and commander's monitors arranged on working stations of armoured vehicle chassis. Remote-controlled system and outside combat module provides enhanced protection of the inhabitants, better conditions in the inhabited compartments (weapon station is outside that avoids gas contamination).

BTR-4E: Ukraine Takes Leading Positions in Modern Light Armor Vehicles Market

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have put into service the modern Ukrainian armored personnel carrier BTR-4E under the Order of the Ukrainian Defense Minister Dmytro Salamatin.

Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau in cooperation with national defense enterprises has designed and manufactured BTR-4E.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces got a new up-to-date weapon system technically comparable with its foreign analogues, while its fire potential is even better.

Mass production of this vehicle will help Ukraine to take the leading positions in the world market of light armor wheeled vehicles.

“Our national designers and Ministry of Defense specialists did a lot of job. We have developed a completely new system, breaking classical traditions of tank building. It’s a basis for future development of different modifications of this armament,” Andriy Artyushenko, Director of Department of Development and Acquisition of Armament and Military Equipment, commented.