(VOVworld) – Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak told parliament that the military budget would double in 2015 to buy weapons to better cope with the pro-independence force in the east.

Ukrainian Defense Ministry asks the parliament to double military budget in 2015 (photo: dw.de)

He said the military intends to double its military spending and foresees calling up 40,000 men in 2015 and training 10,500 people who will do their service as professional soldiers.  
Once implemented, the size of Ukraine's army would grow to 250,000 from the current 232,000, he said. Many new recruits would replace soldiers who had completed their tours. Conscription was scrapped in Ukraine in 2013, only to be reintroduced this May following Crimea annexation to Russia and the conflict with separatist in the eastern region.