Defense forces to undergo military reform in Ukraine first, says minister

Reform in the Armed Forces of Ukraine will begin with the defense forces, Ukraine's Defense Minister Pavlo Lebedev has said.

"The key tasks of reform in the Armed Forces of Ukraine are to improve their combat readiness. Defense forces will undergo reform first," Lebedev said at a meeting with officers of the Command of the Land Force.

The minister said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will gradually transfer to a contract-based system, and the system of military education establishments and military units that are not a part of the active inventory of the Ukrainian army will be optimized.

"The freed-up assets will be spent on military training and the social protection of servicemen," the minister said.

According to ministry's press service, at the meeting Lebedev also heard a report by Ukrainian Land Forces Commander, General Colonel Hennadiy Vorobyov, on the current situation in the Land Forces, particularly the state of weaponry, military equipment, and the disposition of forces.