Ukraine

D

Local Government

Although Ukraine is a unitary state, its constitution allows for a considerable degree of decentralization. The country is divided into 24 oblasts (regions) and one autonomous republic, Crimea. The cities of Kyiv and Sevastopol’ have special status; their governments, which operate independently of oblast authority, are responsible only to the central government in Kyiv. Local councils and executive bodies, elected every four years, are responsible for their jurisdiction’s taxes, budgets, schools, roads, utilities, and public health. The Crimean Autonomous Republic enjoys far-ranging autonomy within Ukraine, including its own constitution, legislature, and Cabinet of Ministers. The latter controls Crimea’s government and economy, but is restricted from implementing policies that would contradict the constitution of Ukraine.

E

Political Parties

The first non-Communist political groups appeared in the late 1980s, when the Communist Party began to lose influence. However, the Communist Party was Ukraine’s only legal party until its constitutional monopoly was abolished in 1990. The party was banned from 1991 to 1993, but by 1994 it had rebounded to become Ukraine’s largest party. It won the most seats of any single party in the 1998 legislative elections but then lost its dominant position in 2002.

Ukraine has more than 100 registered parties, but very few gain representation in the Supreme Council. Multiparty alliances known as blocs are commonly formed to strengthen the position of like-minded parties in elections. Major parties and blocs include Our Ukraine, a reformist and pro-European Union (EU) party that supports President Viktor Yushchenko; the Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc, which includes the nationalist Fatherland Party; the Party of Regions, a pro-Russia party led by former prime minister Viktor Yanukovych; the Communist Party of Ukraine; the Socialist Party of Ukraine; and the centrist Lytvyn Bloc, comprising the Ukrainian People’s Party and the Labor Party.

F

Social Services

Ukraine has retained much of the Soviet-style system of social welfare and free medical care, financed by the government. The country’s economic difficulties have had a catastrophic impact on these services, however. Pensions are barely enough to assure survival. Hospitals are deteriorating, doctors are poorly paid, and medicine and equipment are in short supply.

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G

Defense

Ukraine’s armed forces are the second largest in Europe, after those of Russia, with an estimated strength of 187,600 in 2004. In addition to central staff, nuclear forces, and paramilitary troops, about 125,000 are in the ground forces, about 49,100 are in the air force, and about 13,500 are in the navy (excluding the Black Sea Fleet). Military service is compulsory for all males 18 and older; those with higher education serve 12 months, and those without it serve 18 months.

In November 1994 Ukraine signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which brought it under the terms of the first Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I). This required Ukraine to liquidate its large nuclear arsenal of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), a project that was completed in 1995. See also Arms Control; Nuclear Weapons Proliferation.

H

International Organizations

In 1945 Ukraine became a member of the United Nations (UN). In December 1991 it was a founding member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and in November 1995 it became a full member of the Council of Europe. It is also a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

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