Ukrainian battalion of experts ready to deploy in Persian Gulf (03/09/03)

Ukrainian battalion of experts ready to deploy in Persian Gulf

by Roman Woronowycz
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - A Ukrainian army battalion that specializes in the clean-up of chemical, biological and nuclear contamination is ready to perform what its commander calls "humanitarian" or "peacekeeping" work, should war break out in Iraq. However, it would be ready for deployment to the Persian Gulf only after the Verkhovna Rada's approval.

"As was shown during military exercises [held in December], the special unit is ready," said Lt. Gen. Viktor Lytvak, commander of the 19th Army Battalion, which is normally stationed outside of Sambir, Lviv Oblast, and is part of Ukraine's rapid deployment force.

During a press conference in Kyiv, Lt. Gen. Lytvak explained that his troops are in a state of high readiness and could deploy "even tomorrow." However, he noted that to be on their way the soldiers still would need a series of vaccinations against anthrax and smallpox, which could delay deployment for two to six weeks, as well as the parliamentary authorization to move out.

They also would need to know under whose auspices they would serve.

Ukraine agreed in early February to a U.S. request for the utilization of its nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) clean-up capabilities and the 19th Battalion is ready to make good on that offer. However, if the authorization for war comes from the United Nations, as the United States has indicated it would like, then Kyiv would want an invitation from that international body as well. Also, several other countries with NBC clean-up capabilities are under consideration for the operation, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania and Bulgaria.

While they, too, have the technology and know-how to fight the aftereffects of a nuclear, biological or nuclear attack, Ukraine's battalion has the most extensive capabilities. Currently the unit consists of 531 soldiers, none of them conscripts and all of whom volunteered for service in the unit. They have 165 pieces of machinery and equipment at their disposal, including laboratories, computers, machine guns and armored vehicles.

The battalion's mission, as explained by Lt. Gen. Lytvak, would be decontamination and de-gasification of areas affected by an NBC attack and the extension of specialized medical services to those affected. The battalion has NBC mobile laboratories that can be used to identify lethal materials and analyze biological matter, and computerized systems to analyze the battlefield situation and offer recommendations.

Lt. Gen. Lytvak admitted that much of the equipment was from the Soviet era, but asserted that all of it has been reconstructed and retrofitted with Ukrainian-built, current high technology.

The unit consists of slightly older military personnel who serve under contract: five of them took part in the Chornobyl clean-up, 15 percent have previous battle experience in Afghanistan and another 6 percent have peacekeeping experience.

It would cost the sponsoring entity - whether the United States or the United Nations - about $1 million a month to maintain the battalion abroad in a state of high readiness, including monthly pay for each soldier in the amount of between $600 and $1,000. Should Iraq utilize NBC warfare requiring a clean-up by the Ukrainian battalion, salaries would double.

Ukraine has demanded and received assurance from the United States that the 19th Battalion would not see any direct combat, and Lt. Gen. Lytvak sought to underscore this during his meeting with journalists.

"If it is a force authorized by the United Nations, it will be a peacekeeping force to fight NBC decontamination; if it is an invitation from a specific country, it will be a humanitarian force invited by that country," explained Lt. Gen. Lytvak. "I repeat, this would not be a combat force. Its prime responsibility would be to maintain its own high level of safety."

While several Ukrainian state authorities, including Yevhen Marchuk, chairman of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), which authorized the deployment last week, have said no Ukrainian soldiers would be deployed in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Lytvak said that such a development could not be excluded at the moment. Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn said on March 3 that he had heard Bahrain could be the site of deployment, but the lieutenant general explained that until an invitation is received nothing is certain.

Mr. Lytvyn said he expects a heated debate by lawmakers on whether to ratify the authorization for deployment.

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