“The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine informs about it. The issue of control over the Black and Azov Seas is strategic for the security and economy of Ukraine, because the importance of maritime trade …”, – WRITE ON: Armyinform.com.ua
Read for: 2 min. January 29 2025, 13:39
The “marine” coalition was created in December 2023 within the contact group on assistance of Ukraine to support our country at sea and rivers. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine informs about it.
The issues of control over the Black and Azov Seas are strategic for the security and economy of Ukraine, as the importance of maritime trade routes for a country that exports raw materials cannot be overestimated.
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians work in metallurgy, agriculture and other industries that depend on these paths. Millions of people around the world are consumers of Ukrainian grain and foodstuffs.
It is also important to control rivers that serve not only convenient logistics, but also natural borders between states.
That is why in December 2023 the United Kingdom, Norway and Ukraine initiated the creation of a coalition of maritime capabilities. Its main tasks are to ensure urgent needs and long-term development of the relevant capacity of Ukraine, to ensure the freedom and safety of civilian navigation, to restrain and reflect any aggression from the maritime direction.
In addition to Ukraine, the “maritime” coalition, except for Ukraine, has been attached to 18 states – except for leaders, Belgaria, Greece, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, USA, France, Sweden, Portugal, Poland, Romania and Turkey.
Finland, Iceland and Canada are contributing to the development of Ukraine’s maritime capacity, but are not yet part of the coalition. Australia and Japan are considering to become its participants.
The activity of the coalition of maritime capabilities is one of the least public. At the same time, it is known that the States Parties to the Coalition within the framework of the association provide Ukraine, in particular:
- ships and boats;
- Marine shock weapons;
- surveillance and intelligence;
- mine systems;
- strengthen the amphibian capabilities of Marines;
- They prepare the staff of the flotilla and marine infantry.
The coalition is comprehensive about the formation of capabilities – it is not only the supply of ships, helicopters and other systems, but also the preparation of their crews and operators of systems, training of technical personnel and technical support for operation and use.
Among the fact that the Netherlands and Belgium can be confirmed in public, 3 Alkmaar Ships are handed over to Ukraine this year. The United Kingdom, among other ways, has already transferred two Chernihiv and Cherkasy mine ships in early 2023, which are still based in British ports.
The crews of these ships are currently undergoing intensive preparation for NATO -standard tasks. This set of mineh forces is the basis of a mine tactical group that will directly eliminate the mine threat in Ukrainian waters.
The US, the Netherlands, Canada, Sweden and Finland have transferred a number of boats of different classes and areas of use: for search and rescue operations, transportation, intelligence and special operations.
In Romania, the coalition created a Maritime Training Center for the preparation of the Marines of the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In general, within the framework of the contact group on assistance to Ukraine formed eight coalitions of capabilities: coalition of air forces, coalition of integrated air defense and about, coalition of maritime capabilities, coalition of drones, IT coalition, coalition of artillery, coalition of armor and maneuvering.
On January 9, 2025, the heads of the defense agencies of 14 leaders and Ukraine agreed road maps of all coalitions. This happened during a meeting of the leadership group of capabilities within the contact group on Defense of Ukraine (Ramstein format).
According to the Armyinform, demining and mine work in the Black Sea is continuous. The Security Work of the Navy of the Armed Forces is at a stable high level.
