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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Ukraine Gets Rid Of Former Soviet N-Weapons

Compiled From Wire Services

Ukraine has shipped to Russia the last of the nuclear weapons it inherited from the Soviet Union, President Leonid Kuchma said Saturday.

Ukraine had promised to get rid of its nuclear weapons by this month in exchange for economic aid from Russia and the United States, under an agreement signed by the three countries in January 1994.

However, officials had been warning that Ukraine might not have the money to complete the removal on time and Saturday’s announcement came as a surprise.

Under the 1994 agreement, Ukraine was to receive fuel for its five nuclear plants from Russia. From the United States, it was to receive help dismantling missiles and missile silos, along with other economic assistance.

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Ukraine was one of four former republics - along with Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan - to inherit a piece of its nuclear arsenal. About 2,000 nuclear warheads were left in Ukraine.