Ukraine Continues to liquidate bombers and missiles under US supervision

Ukraine began liquidating its TU-22 strategic bombers and air-to-land missiles in Poltava and Nikolaeva under the supervision of US specialists, according to the US Embassy in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry reports, however, that the liquidation of the TU-22M2 and TU-22M3 heavy bombers and 225 X-22 rockets began in November 2002. By the end of 2005, 31 TU-22 bombers are to be destroyed - 12 TU-22M3 airplanes in Poltava and 17 TU-22M2 and 2 TU-22M3 airplanes in Nikolaeva.

The program is being financed by the US government as part of the agreement 'On assisting Ukraine in liquidating strategic nuclear weapons and preventing distribution of weapons of mass destruction,' signed on November 25, 1993.