OREANDA-NEWS. On January 16, 2007 defense Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov said budgetary financing of the Ukrainian army may increase from UAH 10 billion to UAH 17 - 22 billion (UAH 5,05 / USD 1) in 2008, reported the Official website www.kmu.gov.ua.

"We have prepared two variants of further developments. The first is the minimal demand of around 2% of the GDP, or some more than UAH 17 billion. Variant #2, ordered by the President, is 2,5% of the gross domestic product, or UAH 22,2 billion, to be envisaged by the 2008 draft budget (in the course of its correction)," he said.

Yekhanurov estimated at UAH 49,6 billion the required volume of financing for getting transferred to a contract army in a matter of the coming three years.