Ukrainian Defense Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov said during his working visit to Sevastopol (Crimea, South Ukraine) on Wednesday that the country's military budget for 2009 should reach UAH 32 billion (USD 1 / UAH 4.84).

Inspecting the military readiness of troops of the Ukrainian Navy, he said that everything is all right with them, but the Defense Ministry failed to develop them due to financial restrictions.

In this connection, Yekhanurov said that Ukraine's military budget for 2009 should amount to UAH 32 billion, compared with UAH 9.9 billion foreseen for 2008.

He said that his ministry had already sent respective requests to institutions that are responsible for drafting next year's budget.