The personnel will crew Ukrainian naval vessels kept abroad under foreign protection
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has ordered the deployment of troops to Türkiye and the United Kingdom to operate Ukrainian naval ships currently based in the two countries.
The decision, first announced in September, required parliamentary approval before coming into effect after Zelensky signed it on Wednesday.
Ukraine’s once-formidable naval force, inherited from the Soviet Union, has suffered years of neglect and losses in its conflict with Russia. The current fleet largely consists of smaller ships donated by foreign backers, many of which are docked outside Ukrainian territory.
Zelensky’s directive sends 106 personnel to Türkiye to man the Hetman IvanMazepa, an Ada-class corvette that was laid down in 2021. Once its ongoing trials are complete, it is expected to become the flagship of Ukraine’s navy.
An additional 540 sailors and 20 command officers will be deployed to the UK to crew five minehunter vessels previously transferred from the British, Dutch, and Belgian navies.
The decree indicates that Ukrainian crews will undergo training before assuming full operational control of the ships. The government estimates the immediate cost of the deployment at $3.2 million.
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Kiev remains heavily dependent on Western financial and military assistance to sustain its government operations and war effort.
Moscow maintains that no amount of foreign aid can alter the outcome of the conflict, pointing to Ukraine’s severe manpower shortages due to widespread desertion and draft evasion.
