Ukraine enhanced control over rocket technologies

The government supported a draft resolution developed by Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine along with State Service of Export Control of Ukraine, which envisions amendments to National list of dual purpose goods that can be used in production of missile weapons, the Information-Analytical Bulletin of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine informs.

Amendments to National list of goods are related to clarifying the features of main rocket parts, turbojet and turbofan engines, wind tunnels, and components of rocket fuel. 

According to experts, the approved decree will significantly enhance export control over international transactions in the field of rocket technology. At the same time, the document will contribute to enhancing the global security and international image of Ukraine, as the state which fulfills its international obligations to association of industrialized countries «Missile Technology Control Regime» (MTCR). 

As noted by government analysts, since early days of independence, Ukraine has been following a principle of non-proliferation of nuclear technology and delivery means. The analysts state that, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine inherited the nuclear and missile legacy of the USSR, whose potential ranked 3rd in the world (after the U.S. and Russia). Total number of nuclear weapons in the territory of Ukraine was about 4,800. 

In this regard, the Ukraine s integration into international system of nuclear safety and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and delivery means was especially critical. 

The first core document in this category was «Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Ukraine concerning the transfer of missile equipment and technology,» signed in May 1994. And true recognition of Ukraine as a member of international security system on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and missile technology came with joining the MTCR as 34th member in 1998. 

To date, Ukraine is a developed space country, one of the top five countries with full technological cycle of producing the space-rocket complexes. Ukrainian rocket and space industry includes over 40 companies. Among them: the world-famous «Design Bureau «Yuzhnoye» and «Production Association «Southern Machine-Building Plant» in Dnepropetrovsk. These enterprises create and mass-produce the launch vehicles, spacecrafts, control, orientation, and trajectory measurement systems. Great achievement of Ukrainian experts was creation of spacecrafts «Sich-1», «Ocean-O», «AUOS», and «Micron», launch vehicles «Zenit-3SL», «Dnepr», and «Cyclone-3». 

According to experts, last year, rocket-industrial cluster of Ukrainian economy sold missile products for 538 million USD on the international market.