Hendrajit, Geopolitics Expert and Executive Director of Global Future Institute (GFI)
Paper presented at PadjadjaranUniversity (UNPAD) Model United Nations 2018, on 7 May 2018.
Uncovering the Bad Reputation of Ukraine as Armes and Military Equipment Trade
Last year the general public in Indonesia were shocked by the information that the PT Mustika Duta Mas which imported the gunfire and ammunition to be distributed to the Indonesian Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) using the charter aircraft Antonov AN-12 TB owned by Ukraine Air Alliance UKL 4024.
It was through the charter aircraft Antonov AN-12 TB owned by Ukraine Air Alliance UKL 4024, the gunfire and ammunition estimated 20 thousands were sent to Indonesia ordered by PT Mustika Duta Masyarakat. As soon as the information was openly published, Indonesia Police Watch urged the Indonesian Police to clarify the gunfire and ammunition imported to Indonesia from Ukraine. Unfortunately the Indonesia Police Headquarters as well Presidential Office, have yet to give the satisfied explanation to the public.
The Indonesian stakeholders concerned with national interest regarding the importation of military equipment must be very careful when it comes to build the bilateral cooperation between Indonesia-Ukraine. Because in terms of its reputation as exporter of military equipment, Ukraine has bad reputation.
In 2016, just shortly after the Indonesian and Ukraine signed the bilateral cooperation on defense, several elements urged the Indonesian government to cancel buy the armoured fighting vehicle 4-M made in Ukraine. Because the information revealed that Thailand and Kroasia had bad experience regarding when they ordered the tank T-84 Oplot and the Aircraft MIG-21 made in Ukraine.
Based ont the research conducted by Global Future Institute, Ukraine proved to be incompetent to meet its commitment in line with the defense cooperation made with Thailand. Of 49 units tanks T-84 Oplot, Ukraine was just capable of supplying 10 units. It means that Ukraine incapable of supplying the remaining 39 units.
As a consequence of its obligation to supply the remaining 39 units of T-84 Oplot, Ukraine supplied the tank made in US GIR -3EI which was bad quality. It was therefore understandable if Thailand was not satisfied with 200 units US GIR-3EI imported by Ukraine.
Let me turn to another story about MIG-21. In 2015, Ukraine exported the Aircaft named MIG-21 to Croatia. The neighboring country which has been in the East Europe as well. But in 2015, the Croatian government found out the indication of corruption practices related to the reparation of Aircradt imported from Ukraine.
The Fact uncovered that of 12 Aircraft MIG-21 bought by Croation government, 9 were dysfunctional and unable to operate. Thus, it was just 3 of the 12 capable of operating. More fantastically, the investigation conducted by Croation Military Police, 5 of 12 Aircraft bought from Ukraine, were once owned by Yemen.
Much worse, 5 Aircraft mentioned above were the result of assembling from several countries such as Bulgaria, Bulgaria once reported to the Nort Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that MIG-21 was in reality incapable, unqualified and unreal as an Aircraft.
