Where Are the Guarantees?”

Opening of the Exhibition “Where Are the Guarantees?” Dedicated to the Elimination of Ukraine’s Strategic Bomber Aviation Following the Budapest Memorandum – March 7, 2025

On March 7, 2025, at 14:00, the Educational Hangar of Kyiv Aviation Institute will host the opening of the exhibition “Where Are the Guarantees?” by the O.K. Antonov State Aviation Museum, dedicated to the elimination of Ukraine’s strategic aviation.

In 1994, the young Ukrainian state signed the Budapest Memorandum, under which the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia pledged to act as security guarantors for Ukraine in case of aggression. In return, Ukraine renounced its nuclear status, agreeing to destroy nuclear weapon carriers, including the aviation component of its nuclear forces.

Ukraine voluntarily relinquished a powerful military capability, which included 107 strategic and long-range bombers, among them 19 supersonic Tu-160s—the largest combat aircraft in the world. Additionally, over 1,000 Kh-55 and Kh-22 cruise missiles with nuclear warheads were either transferred to Russia or destroyed. The elimination of Ukraine’s strategic bomber aviation was carried out by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Threat Reduction Agency and was completed in 2006.

Unfortunately, in practice, the security guarantees provided under the Budapest Memorandum proved to be worthless. This experience must be remembered and never repeated.

The exhibition will feature a unique collection of individual nameplates (shields) from decommissioned aircraft, pilot gear and personal belongings, as well as historical footage of the daily life of the Poltava Regiment of Ukraine’s Air Force Long-Range Aviation. These exhibits highlight the scale of Ukraine’s aviation and armament losses. For instance, the Kh-55 and Kh-22 cruise missiles presented in the hangar could have been effectively used against Russian aggressors.

???? Exhibition Address:

Educational Hangar (Building 11), Kyiv Aviation Institute (formerly NAU, National Aviation University), 1 Lubomyr Huzar Ave.

???? For inquiries: +38 (050) 411 14 93

???? Email: info@aviamuseum.com.ua

We invite media representatives, aviation heritage enthusiasts, and the general public to attend. No prior registration is required for media.

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???? https://aviamuseum.com.ua/

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