KYIV. Nov 16 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries will sign a cooperation plan for 2007 during a visit to Ukraine by Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry press service said, quoting Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko.
The ministries planned 36 joint events for this year, and 44 for 2007.
"Military cooperation between Ukraine and Russia is broadening," the press service quoted the minister as saying.
Russian Armed Forces chief of staff Army General Yury Baluyevsky's visit to Ukraine is one of the most important events of this year, while next year's landmark will be the live-firing of S-200 and S-300 missiles by Ukrainian units at the Ashuluk training range in Russia's Astrakhan region.
Ukraine and Russia will continue to take part in Blackseafor events, Hrytsenko said. Kyiv is interested in the Russian practices of military service by contract, while Russia is interested in language training of Black Sea Fleet officers, who will take part in the NATO operation Active Endeavor in the Mediterranean, at the Nakhimov Naval Institute in Sevastopol.
"We have absolutely normal, calm, mutually beneficial and effective cooperation," the minister said.