Aidar battalion to be reorganized this year

The Aidar battalion, or the 24th separate assault battalion, subordinated to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, will be reorganized by the end of 2014, Chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Viktor Muzhenko has said.

"There are some problems in this battalion. As for the non-payment of wages, there was a problem, but now it has been practically resolved," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday, noting that payments for three to five months have been received.

Muzhenko said that there was also a problem with the registration of personnel, and that the established strength of the battalion did correspond with the actual number of its soldiers. He said that the Defense Ministry was taking a number of measures that will help complete its reorganization this year.

"By the beginning of the new year we will resolve the subject of Aidar in terms of its restructuring," Muzhenko said.

In particular, he said, the issue concerns the appointment of a new battalion commander in place of Serhiy Melnychuk, who was elected an MP.

At the same time, he noted that Aidar had strong potential.

"I think that after its reorganization it will be one of the best and most capable units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces," Muzhenko said.