Performance of Ukranian military in training courses

Mohammed Khan made this Official Information request to Ministry of Defence

Response to this request is long overdue. By law Ministry of Defence should have responded by now (details and exceptions). The requester can complain to the Ombudsman.

From: Mohammed Khan

Dear Ministry of Defence,

In light of reporting about the under-performance in combat of Ukranian men unlucky enough to be drafted by the Zelensky regime, and the lack of reports produced by the NZDF, I am seeking information held by the department- namely the opinion of the senior personnel responsible for the artillery training conducted with the assistance of NZDF personnel as to the performance and readiness of the Ukrainian military personnel they have trained to date, with reference to the standard that would be expected for NZDF artillerymen.

Regards,
Mohammed Khan

Link to this

From: Information
Ministry of Defence


Attachment 30092022111820 0001.pdf
406K Download View as HTML


Morena Mohammed

 

Please find attached the Ministry of Defence's response to your
information request.

 

Ngā mihi

 

Adrian MacGregor

Managing Principal, Ministry of Defence

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Mohammed Khan
[mailto:[FOI #20485 email]]
Sent: Thursday, 8 September 2022 3:21 p.m.
To: Information <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Performance of Ukranian military
in training courses

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

CAUTION: This email is from outside NZDF. Do not open attachments or click
on links unless you were expecting this, recognise the sender and know the
content is safe. If in any doubt please forward the email to
[1][email address] and then delete the email from your Inbox. Thank you.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Dear Ministry of Defence,

 

In light of reporting about the under-performance in combat of Ukranian
men unlucky enough to be drafted by the Zelensky regime, and the lack of
reports produced by the NZDF, I am seeking information held by the
department- namely the opinion of the senior personnel responsible for the
artillery training conducted with the assistance of NZDF personnel as to
the performance and readiness of the Ukrainian military personnel they
have trained to date, with reference to the standard that would be
expected for NZDF artillerymen.

 

Regards,

Mohammed Khan

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[2][FOI #20485 email]

 

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page.

 

 

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From: Mohammed Khan

Dear Mike,

As you can verify for yourself by reading the Official Information Act, or consulting the informative website maintained by the Ombudsman, "Official information also includes information which is known to an agency but has not yet been written down." https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/what...

The fact that you repeatedly assert that the NZDF have constructively attempted to prevent information being publicly disclosed by not writing it down does not mean you don't hold it per the OIA. Have all personnel involved in the training left the Defence Forces? Do they all have Alzheimers and have forgotten everything about the training? Do you claim there is some secret codicil to the OIA that means you don't have to follow it?

Assuming that neither of those scenarios is true, you continue to be obliged to provide me with "the opinion of the senior personnel responsible for the artillery training conducted with the assistance of NZDF personnel as to the performance and readiness of the Ukrainian military personnel they have trained to date, with reference to the standard that would be expected for NZDF artillerymen." I expect to receive that Monday afternoon at the latest.

Regards,
Mohammed Khan

Link to this

From: Information
Ministry of Defence


Attachment 03102022142215 0001.pdf
891K Download View as HTML


Good afternoon Mohammed

Please find attached the Ministry of Defence response to your email: transferring it to the New Zealand Defence Force, which is the agency best-placed to respond.

Yours sincerely

Adrian MacGregor
Managing Principal, Ministry of Defence

-----Original Message-----
From: Mohammed Khan [mailto:[FOI #20485 email]]
Sent: Friday, 30 September 2022 9:42 p.m.
To: Information <[email address]>
Subject: RE: Official Information request - Performance of Ukranian military in training courses [unclassified]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CAUTION: This email is from outside NZDF. Do not open attachments or click on links unless you were expecting this, recognise the sender and know the content is safe. If in any doubt please forward the email to [email address] and then delete the email from your Inbox. Thank you.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mike,

As you can verify for yourself by reading the Official Information Act, or consulting the informative website maintained by the Ombudsman, "Official information also includes information which is known to an agency but has not yet been written down." https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/what...

The fact that you repeatedly assert that the NZDF have constructively attempted to prevent information being publicly disclosed by not writing it down does not mean you don't hold it per the OIA. Have all personnel involved in the training left the Defence Forces? Do they all have Alzheimers and have forgotten everything about the training? Do you claim there is some secret codicil to the OIA that means you don't have to follow it?

Assuming that neither of those scenarios is true, you continue to be obliged to provide me with "the opinion of the senior personnel responsible for the artillery training conducted with the assistance of NZDF personnel as to the performance and readiness of the Ukrainian military personnel they have trained to date, with reference to the standard that would be expected for NZDF artillerymen." I expect to receive that Monday afternoon at the latest.

Regards,
Mohammed Khan

-----Original Message-----

Morena Mohammed

 

Please find attached the Ministry of Defence's response to your information request.

 

Ngā mihi

 

Adrian MacGregor

Managing Principal, Ministry of Defence

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #20485 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Note:
The information contained in this email message is intended only for the addressee and is not necessarily
the official view or communication of the Ministry. If you are not the intended recipient you must not use,
disclose, copy or distribute this message or the information in it. If you have received this message in error,
please email or telephone the sender immediately. Thank you"

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From: Ministerial Services


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Link: [1]File-List
Link: [2]Edit-Time-Data

Good morning Mohammed Khan,

 

Your request for information held by the Ministry of Defence regarding the
performance and readiness of the Ukrainian military personnel trained to
date was transferred to the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) for
consideration under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).

 

It was NZDF personnel who provided support to the United Kingdom, so it is
understandable and correct for the New Zealand Ministry of Defence to
decline your request under section 18(e) of the OIA as that New Zealand
Ministry would not hold any relevant information.

 

With respect to your request for the opinion of the senior personnel
responsible for the artillery training conducted with the assistance of
NZDF personnel as to the performance and readiness of the Ukrainian
military personnel they have trained to date, with reference to the
standard that would be expected for NZDF artillerymen, the opinions of
relevant NZDF personnel will not be provided in accordance with sections
6(a) and 9(2)(g)(i) of the OIA.

 

While the OIA has no provision for the transfer of a request to an agency
of a foreign government, you may wish to seek information from the United
Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence by visiting
[3]https://www.gov.uk/make-a-freedom-of-inf...

 

You have the right, under section 28(3) of the OIA, to ask an Ombudsman to
review this response to your request.

 

Regards

 

Corporate and Ministerial Services

OCDF, Office of Chief of Defence Force
New Zealand Defence Force

[4]www.nzdf.mil.nz

[5]cid:image001.png@01D8E9D7.F537E0B0

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Mohammed Khan
[[6]mailto:[FOI #20485 email]]

Sent: Friday, 30 September 2022 9:42 p.m.

To: Information <[7][email address]>

Subject: RE: Official Information request - Performance of Ukranian
military in training courses [unclassified]

 

Dear Mike,

 

As you can verify for yourself by reading the Official Information Act, or
consulting the informative website maintained by the Ombudsman, "Official
information also includes information which is known to an agency but has
not yet been written down."
[8]https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/what...

 

The fact that you repeatedly assert that the NZDF have constructively
attempted to prevent information being publicly disclosed by not writing
it down does not mean you don't hold it per the OIA. Have all personnel
involved in the training left the Defence Forces? Do they all have
Alzheimers and have forgotten everything about the training? Do you claim
there is some secret codicil to the OIA that means you don't have to
follow it?

 

Assuming that neither of those scenarios is true, you continue to be
obliged to provide me with "the opinion of the senior personnel
responsible for the artillery training conducted with the assistance of
NZDF personnel as to the performance and readiness of the Ukrainian
military personnel they have trained to date, with reference to the
standard that would be expected for NZDF artillerymen." I expect to
receive that Monday afternoon at the latest.

 

Regards,

Mohammed Khan

 

-----Original Message-----

 

Morena Mohammed

 

 

 

Please find attached the Ministry of Defence's response to your 
information request.

 

 

 

Ngā mihi

 

 

 

Adrian MacGregor

 

Managing Principal, Ministry of Defence

 

 

 

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[9][FOI #20485 email]

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[10]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

 

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

The information contained in this Internet Email message is intended for
the addressee only and may contain privileged information, but not
necessarily the official views or opinions of the New Zealand Defence
Force.  If you are not the intended recipient you must not use, disclose,
copy or
distribute this message or the information in it.  If you have received
this message in error, please Email or telephone the sender immediately.

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