President Volodymyr Zelensky has enforced the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of March 25, 2021, "On the Strategy of Ukraine's Military Security".
The head of state signed the corresponding decree (No. 121/2021) on March 25, the press service of the President's Office reported.
This is the first time such a strategic document has been prepared in Ukraine. The strategy is a defense planning document, aimed to ensure the implementation of state policy in the field of defense and to determine ways to implement policy priorities in the military sphere, as well as the spheres of defense and military organizational development.
The document provides for the introduction of an integrated comprehensive approach to the defense in the face of hybrid military threats to national security.
Read alsoZelensky approves Strategy toward ending Russian occupation of CrimeaComprehensive defense corresponds to the sovereign inalienable right of each state to self-defense against aggression, enshrined in the UN Charter and does not aim to achieve military parity with Russia, which would lead to excessive militarization of the state, instead envisaging measures to maintain balance and a combination of military and non-military means to ensure Ukraine's military security.
The Strategy defines the goals, priorities, and tasks of implementing the relevant state policies, aimed at protecting national interests from military threats, repelling and deterring armed aggression, preventing or deterring the enemy from full-scale use of military force against Ukraine, halting temporary occupation by Russia of a part of Ukraine's territory, protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, primarily by pursuing in the international field a set of legal, political and diplomatic, security, humanitarian, and economic measures.
The implementation of the Strategy will contribute to having Ukraine integrate into the Euro-Atlantic space and acquire NATO membership. The document assumes active participation in international peacekeeping and security operations.
According to the Strategy, the priorities for achieving national policy goals in the military, defense, and military development sectors include introducing joint leadership in preparing and implementing measures toward Ukraine's comprehensive defense, developing institutional capacities of the defense ministry and other control bodies, and building up combat-ready Armed Forces and other elements of defense forces, capable of fulfilling the tasks assigned.
Background
On January 20, the Cabinet approved a draft presidential decree following the decision of the National Security and Defense Council on Ukraine's Military Security Strategy.
The Strategy is intended to replace the Military Doctrine, determining goals, priorities and ways of implementing the national policy on national security and defense in terms of ensuring the country's military security.
The MSS envisages the concept of comprehensive defense, involving for its implementation, besides the Armed Forces, all other components of the security and defense sector and civil society. The new document also takes into account the risks of a military threat from Russia and the imbalance in the military capabilities of the two countries.
The MSS is the basis for the development of the Strategic Defense Bulletin, program documents on defense and development of defense forces, arms production, as well as the country's defense plan and plans for the use of defense forces.
