Strategic command of the armed forces of Ukraine as a component of the state control system

Problem setting. In the conditions of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the annexation of the Crimea and the occupation of part of the territory of the Donbas, the operation of the United Force needs to be improved as a system of management of the state and the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other components of the Defense Forces at the strategic level.

Recent research and publications analysis. Among the latest developments on the above-mentioned issues, work can be distinguished: the monograph “The Security and Defense Sector of Ukraine: theory, strategy, practice”; monograph “The Security and Defense Sector of Ukraine: strategic leadership and military management”; article “Views on development planning in the Security and Defense Sector of Ukraine”.

Highlighting previously unsettled parts of the general problem. Conducting scientific research on the issues of military strategy, strategic deployment, and command of the components of the Ukrainian Defense Forces and their comprehensive support is entrusted to the Center for Military-Strategic research of the National Defense University of Ukraine named after Ivan Chernyakhovsky.

The purpose of the article is to analyze the regulatory base of strategic command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other components of the Defense Forces and to consider the variant of the system of strategic command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a component of the Defense Forces, based on the principles of NATO, and takes into account the tasks set for the separation of functions of the Chief of General Headquarters – Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Paper main body. The study of the experience of the antiterrorist operation and the United Forces operation shows that the current system of strategic command by the Defense Forces does not fully fulfill the functions assigned to it and therefore needs to be improved.

The “strategic command of the Defense Forces” means the purposeful activity of the highest agencies of state power and agencies of military management in relation to the construction, development, comprehensive provision, preparation and execution of tasks by the defense forces in defense of Ukraine, protection of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The existing system of strategic command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is set out in the Constitution and a number of laws of Ukraine and is an integral part of the state governance system. It is based on the provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine – the President of Ukraine is the Head of State and “carries out leadership in the areas of national security and defense of the state.”

The head of the system of strategic leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is the President of Ukraine. He is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Constitution of Ukraine gives the President of Ukraine, as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the right to “decide on the use of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the event of armed aggression against Ukraine”.

The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine is the coordinating agency for national security and defense under the President of Ukraine. The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine coordinates and controls the activities of executive power agencies in the field of national security and defense. The Military Cabinet of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine is the working agency of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine during a special period.

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is the main agency in the system of central agencies of executive, which ensures the formation and implementation of state policy on issues of national security in the military sphere, defense and military construction in peacetime and a special period. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is the central agency of executive and military management under the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the State Special Transport Service.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is the main military agency for planning the defense of the state, the management of the use of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The actual problems of strategic command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other components of the defense forces are investigated. Including: the existing division of functions and tasks between the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine complicates the definition of responsibility for the implementation of certain functions and tasks and often prevents the unification of efforts for their implementation; the lack of a clear division of responsibility for the formation and use of Defense Forces, which negatively affects the ability of state leadership to effectively manage the defense; low efficiency of the system of operational (combat) management, communication and intelligence; insufficient operational (combat, special) capabilities of the Defense Forces; the lack of an effective integrated logistics system capable of supporting the work of all components of the Defense Forces; the lack of a joint leadership by the Defense Forces, etc.

The analysis shows that domestic legislation does not have provisions on the direction of Defense Forces. This was the result of the slow implementation of the provisions of the Concept for the development of the security and defense sector of Ukraine and the Strategic Defense Bulletin of Ukraine in the legislation. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be, the highest military officer subordinated to the President of Ukraine and the Minister of Defense of Ukraine. It will be based on the full authority of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He will be responsible for the readiness to perform the assigned tasks, control the use of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and transferred to its subordination the forces and means of other components of the Defense Forces.

One of the options for ensuring the activities of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is to consider the formation of the Main Command, which may include: the personal headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the coordination (General Staff) and special headquarters. Taking into account the tasks set for the separation of the functions of the Chief of the General Staff – the Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the variant of the system of strategic command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a component of the Defense Forces is proposed.

Conclusions of the research and prospects for further studies. mplementation of the provisions and requirements set out in the Strategic Defense Bulletin of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine “On National Security of Ukraine” requires a radical change in the system of strategic command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other components of the Defense Forces. Needs to change not only their organizational structure, but also relations between the military command and management (staff) procedures.