"Working out other people's interests": why is Ukraine going to build two naval bases

During the annual message to the Verkhovna Rada, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that two new naval bases would be created in the country.

At the same time, the head of state did not specify where they are planned to be deployed.

“We are starting to build two state-owned Ukrainian naval bases to protect the Black Sea region,” Zelensky said.

According to him, the military policy of Kiev is aimed at protecting the country "on land, in water, in the air and cyberspace."

These efforts, Zelensky noted, are being undertaken so that "no one else would even have the idea that it is possible to encroach on our sovereignty, territorial integrity, or take away part of Ukraine's territory without firing a single shot."

Zelensky also urged to bring to justice those who "gave up Crimea without a fight."

In a comment to reporters, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov stated the need to "analyze the statement" of Zelensky on the construction of new bases.

According to him, the appearance of naval facilities may pose a potential threat to the stability of the Black Sea region.

“We need to understand (construction. -

) which military bases, which military bases are we talking about.

Of course, taking into account all the existing realities, this can have quite negative consequences in general for the atmosphere of stability in the Black Sea region.

Potentially, such a danger exists.

But again, I repeat, additional information is needed, what we are talking about, ”said Peskov.

"Expensive pleasure"

Earlier, the deputy head of the office of the President of Ukraine Igor Zhovkva said that the country "needs to create virtually from scratch naval bases."

As the official said in an interview with the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, one of them should be placed on the Azov Sea, the other on the Black Sea.

Kiev plans to attract British specialists to the construction of at least one of the bases.

At the same time, Zhovkva rejected suggestions that the new facilities would become the deployment site of the United Kingdom Navy. 

“And I would like to emphasize that not a British naval base will be located in Ukraine, but a Ukrainian base will be built with the involvement of British specialists.

We are talking about the need for several modern naval bases, ”Zhovkva said.

According to the deputy head of the office of the President of Ukraine, during a recent visit to London, Zelensky was presented with British companies that are engaged in the construction of naval bases.

Zhovkva recalled that in early October Kiev signed a memorandum with Great Britain on strengthening cooperation in the military-technical sphere.

The document provides for the allocation of a loan of £ 1.25 billion ($ 1.6 billion) for joint projects in the defense industry.

According to him, part of this amount can go to the creation of naval bases.

However, London has not yet provided funds to Ukraine.

According to the deputy head of the presidential office, Kiev and the United Kingdom expect "intensive negotiations" in the coming months.

Analysts believe that the initiative to build new naval bases for the needs of the Ukrainian Navy is devoid of common sense.

According to military expert Alexei Leonkov, nothing prevents the Ukrainian fleet from being at the berths of Odessa and Nikolaev, where the main forces of the Ukrainian Navy are stationed.

“Having naval bases is expensive.

The composition of the Navy that Ukraine has is freely deployed in the ports of Nikolaev and Odessa.

The construction of even one new naval base for Kiev would be super-sufficient, taking into account the possible appearance of new ships in the country, but two is a clear overkill, ”Leonkov argues.

• Vladimir Zelensky during a visit to the port of Odessa

• © president.gov.ua

The expert believes that the announcement of the creation of two naval bases is Zelensky's attempt to promote himself on the topic of "restoring" the Ukrainian fleet.

As Leonkov suggests, if these objects are nevertheless built, then they are likely to become points for the deployment of US and British ships. 

“I think that the Americans and the British go to such a trick that Ukraine is supposedly creating bases for itself, but in fact they are intended specifically for their ships,” Leonkov says.

In a commentary on RT, economist and political scientist Alexander Dudchak also said that the only reasonable explanation for the initiative to build new bases could be in their subsequent transfer under the control of NATO countries.

“Ukraine, most likely, will invite to stay or completely transfer these bases under the control of NATO generals.

The construction, if it really starts, of course, will be carried out jointly with Western partners.

Ukraine will sink even more into debt, fulfilling other people's interests, "says Dudchak.

Fleet on credit

Experts noted that Zelensky's statements about the need to radically strengthen the Ukrainian Navy are part of his "military-patriotic" rhetoric.

So, speaking on July 5 in Odessa, he promised to turn Ukraine into a maritime power in the "near future". 

“And our state goal is to systematically increase your power.

We know how in the past years the Naval Forces of Ukraine in many senses of the word tried to destroy and sink, ”Zelensky said.

As the head of state noted, in the near future the country's naval forces should strengthen the Neptune missile system, Island and Mark VI patrol boats, which will be delivered to Kiev as part of US military assistance.

Also, the leadership of Ukraine is interested in the construction of new ships.

According to sources of the publication "European Pravda", the assembly of British boats may be localized in Ukraine.

A total of 8 units are planned to be built. 

According to sources in the British newspaper The Telegraph, we can talk about the production of a Barzan-class missile boat.

True, these ships have not been built for over 20 years.

The last order for these vessels for the needs of the Qatar Navy was completed in the 1990s. 

According to Evropeyskaya Pravda, Kiev expects that the boats will be able to cover the needs of the Navy in the Black and Azov Seas.

However, the ships will be built using credit funds.

Also, according to the publication, the British loan will cover part of the cost of building naval bases, which Zelensky spoke about. 

In an interview with Interfax-Ukraine, Igor Zhovkva confirmed the information that appeared in the media that Kiev was interested in receiving British boats.

In addition, as the deputy head of the presidential office said, Kiev expects to put into service high-precision complexes developed in the United Kingdom. 

• Ukrainian Navy boats

• © president.gov.ua

Meanwhile, experts are confident that Great Britain will allow Ukraine to produce mostly outdated samples of naval equipment. 

“Ukraine will be given ships that are not needed by the British fleet.

It is clear that Kiev will still not be able to pay for this service and will take a loan.

Well, the military-industrial complex of Great Britain will receive the necessary money in order to bring its own fleet into combat readiness.

This is the meaning of the agreement, which Kiev so longs for, ”Leonkov said.

The expert also drew attention to the fact that the western states will become the only beneficiary of the possible appearance of two new harbors, which Zelensky reported.

An increase in NATO's presence on the Ukrainian coast will be a challenge to Russia's security, but it will not change the balance of power in the region due to the increased combat potential of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in recent years, Leonkov said. 

“The USA and Great Britain are interested in this construction, which consider the southern flank of NATO an outpost in matters of“ containing ”Russia.

But the possible appearance of two naval bases, as reported by Zelenskiy, does not change the strategic situation in the Black Sea region.

The Russian Black Sea Fleet is the dominant combat unit here in all respects, ”Leonkov said. 

Alexander Dudchak adheres to a similar point of view.

According to him, the West is using Ukraine as a springboard for provocations against Russia, drawing Kiev into dangerous adventures. 

“Why Ukraine needs all this is not very clear.

Kiev will still not be able to create a real preponderance of forces in the Black Sea basin over Russia with any loans and foreign military assistance, ”Dudchak concluded.