One arms control inspector of the Lithuanian Armed Forces is conducting an inspection of a chosen area in Ukraine in composition of an Estonian inspection team on April 9–11.
The inspection is conducted in an area – Ukraine’s military units, training areas and territories – selected by the international inspection team according to provisions of the Vienna Document 2011.
The team of arms control inspectors led by Estonia will be able to get information about the number of personnel serving and the number and types of major weaponry and equipment systems used by the military units in the selected inspection area in Ukraine.
Visits to the military training areas and military territories will allow Lithuanian and Estonian inspectors to have a closer look at the activities conducted by military units and at pieces of major weaponry and equipment systems used.
According to regulations of the Vienna Document 2011, the arms control experts of both countries will report to the members of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe on Ukraine’s compliance with provisions of the Vienna Document 2011 witnessed during the inspection.
This is the fifth visit by Lithuanian arms control inspectors to an OSCE country this year, Two visits have been conducted to the Russian Federation, and once in Georgia and in Belarus.
The Vienna Document 2011 commits the signatory countries to conduct annual information exchange on their manpower, planned capability development and defence budgets on an annual basis, and to notify other Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) countries in advance of scheduled military activities of significant scope. The states also commit to accept a designated number of inspections and evaluation visits by other member states’ military inspectors in military units in their territories to verify there are no undeclared military capabilities or large-scale military activities requiring prior notification.
Every OSCE member state has the right on the basis of the Vienna Document 2011 to verify if any other member has no undeclared military capabilities or has not undertaken large-scale military activities requiring prior notification.
