In 2013-2015, about 11,000 contract soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) will be provided with service housing, according to Volodymyr Mozharovsky, Deputy Minister of Defense and Chief of Staff. Currently vacant existing barracks will be converted for this purpose. In 2013, 100 million UAH will be additionally allocated for reconstruction of available army facilities into housing for military personnel, the Information-Analytical Bulletin of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine informs.
In 2013-2015, 67 buildings with total capacity of 2,700 apartments will be commissioned to provide the service housing for about 11,000 military professionals.
Experts say 4 buildings have been actually commissioned in Kyiv, Sevastopol, Lviv and village of Ozernoye as part of the program to provide housing for 547 people. By the end of 2013, another 7 buildings will have been commissioned in the cities of Starokonstantinov, Sevastopol, Mukachevo, Yavorov, Mykolaiv and in villages Gvardeyskoe and Chernomorskoye. It will ensure the housing for another 1,079 bachelor and 73 married contract soldiers.
The funds for repair and reconstruction of the existing facilities for apartments will be obtained, in particular, through sale of the real estate and other surplus military property. It will also ensure the future purchase or construction of additional 20,000 apartments for defenders of the Motherland.
Experts say even with a budget deficit, the Ukrainian army still has a lot of property at its disposal. The government made a resolution to sell it at open public auctions controlled by the Cabinet of Ministers. As noted by analysts, in 3-5 years, the Ukrainian army will receive 6 to 9 billion UAH (0.75-1.125 billion USD) from sale of its property. The funds will be used to build housing for servicemen and address the other social issues.
The funds will ensure completion of construction and commissioning of 1,518 apartments (total area – 100.5 thousand m2). By 2017, a record-breaking number of housing (over 25,000 apartments) will be built for military staff.
Government analysts say in 2013 the Commission for Control over Distribution of Housing in Armed Forces of Ukraine agreed the distribution of 407 apartments (257 service, 150 permanent), including 160 apartments built with funding from previous years, 99 apartments received for distribution in 2013 and 148 vacant apartments.
Ukrainian servicemen will also be able to receive compensation for leasing (subleasing) housing.
