Kiev plans to build a new navy by 2035.
This was stated by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to him, the Ukrainian authorities want to implement a large program for the development of the Navy.
This was announced by the office of the Ukrainian leader.
“As for our navy, we now have three stages.
Until 2035 - construction of a large fleet.
We will see the first stage in reality - it will definitely be until 2024.
The second stage fits until 2030, the third - until 2035, ”his office quoted Zelensky as saying.
It is also noted that Zelensky announced the creation in Ukraine of the appropriate infrastructure for the construction of the navy: small submarines, corvettes and military boats.
In addition, Kiev plans to start developing naval bases.
“The first will be built (naval base. -
RT
) in Berdyansk.
The idea is to support this project from the European Union, from the United Kingdom, the United States.
We definitely got full support for this project from the UK.
I will have a meeting with the President of the United States, and this (the development of the Ukrainian Navy. -
RT
) is part of our meeting and part of the Crimean platform, "Zelensky said.
The President of Ukraine also said that the issue of unblocking the Black Sea and Azov coasts "is part of the de-occupation of Crimea."
According to him, Ukraine is increasing the presence of the fleet of allies from NATO countries in the Black and Azov Seas.
“This is not only a question of (military exercises. -
RT
) Sea Breeze, it is also an attitude, and constant work, cooperation of our Ministry of Defense with the United States and the countries of the European Union.
We also have real agreements in this direction with Turkey and Great Britain, ”Zelensky said.
Dreams of the Navy
It is worth noting that Kiev is not the first time talking about the need to update the navy.
So, in July, Zelensky called his priority as President of Ukraine "building a powerful Navy", which are equipped with "modern ships and modern weapons", and are also ready to "adequately respond" to the challenges and threats to the country's national security.
According to him, in order to revive the Ukrainian naval forces, Kiev in recent years reformed the naval command and control bodies in accordance with NATO standards.
"Ukraine, together with the United States, Great Britain, the Republic of Turkey and many other countries - our friends are actively implementing joint large-scale projects to update our ship personnel, develop modern naval infrastructure, train personnel," Zelensky said, speaking on the Day of the Ukrainian Navy on Odessa region.
Ukrainian Navy flag
AFP
© VIKTOR DRACHEV
He also said that two Island-type boats are based in the Yuzhny port on the Black Sea coast.
It is worth noting that these two decommissioned US vessels were delivered to Ukraine in 2019.
In addition, Zelensky announced the appearance of three more boats that the United States will supply to Ukraine.
“Next year, the American side will begin transferring Mark VI high-speed combat boats to Ukraine,” the president said.
As previously noted by the Western media with reference to the US military, the decommissioned Mark VI boats, which will be sold to Ukraine, are expensive to maintain, and their usefulness in a real armed conflict raises serious doubts.
Among other things, Zelensky said that the memorandum of cooperation signed in 2020 between Kiev and London is "filled with concrete measures."
Recall that in July the parties signed a memorandum of partnership in the field of military shipbuilding.
This document provides for the "intergovernmental sale and purchase" of two updated minesweepers - mine seekers of the "Sendown" type and the joint development and construction of eight missile boats for Ukraine, as well as assistance to Kiev from London in the construction of two naval bases on the Black and Azov Seas.
Last month, Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Taran announced the creation of a "mosquito" fleet of small warships in the country, which Kiev plans to provide "modern combat capabilities", including the installation of anti-ship missiles.
According to Taran, his country does not have "real weapons" that can stop the "attack from the sea."
He also noted that Kiev intends to receive "with the help" of London and Washington, several small ships of the "mosquito" fleet no later than next year.
"It definitely won't work"
However, experts interviewed by RT doubt Kiev's ability to create a new navy.
As noted by military expert Ivan Konovalov, its construction by the Ukrainian authorities is simply impossible for a number of reasons.
“Kiev has no resources to create a full-fledged fleet, which would have ships of all ranks and classes, including submarines, frigates, etc.
With the help of what to create a new fleet if there is no capacity?
Ukraine used to have separate enterprises inherited from the Soviet military-industrial complex, but they are now in complete decline.
For example, the Black Sea shipyard in Nikolaev was declared bankrupt.
Ukraine cannot create ships from scratch by itself, "Konovalov emphasized in an interview with RT.
He recalled that the Ukrainian Navy now has the only important warship - the Getman Sagaidachny anti-submarine frigate, the modernization of which, as Zelensky said in his message to the Verkhovna Rada last fall, continues.
Shipyard in Nikolaev
globallookpress.com
© Tarasov / ZUMAPRESS.com
At the same time, Kiev's hopes to create a fleet with the help of Western partners also do not stand up to criticism, Konovalov emphasized.
“The British and Americans have already shown themselves: they are ready to sell their old stuff to Ukraine, in fact, tubs, which will be driven into Ukrainian ports so that they stand there and continue to rust.
The same applies to the ships of the "mosquito" fleet.
Kiev will definitely not be able to make a full-fledged fleet out of all this “good” from Western countries, ”the expert noted.
According to a RT source at the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Zelensky still believes that the United Kingdom and the United States will help him reform the army, provide weapons and help create a fleet.
“It seemed that the president was no longer so naive, but it seems that this is not so.
I can imagine how shocked these statements are read at the US and British embassies, "said the interlocutor of RT.
In turn, a RT source in the office of the Ukrainian president said that Zelensky voiced issues that he wants to discuss with Biden at the upcoming meeting.
“After Afghanistan, the situation has changed.
Ukraine wants more concessions, and American partners have agreed to a more extended meeting of heads of state.
Information on the creation of the fleet will be relevant after the "Crimean platform", which is given great attention, "- he said.
As Konovalov summed up, Zelensky does not even hide in his statement that the current Ukrainian leadership hopes exclusively in the West.
“The same applies to the presence of many NATO ships in the Black Sea.
Ukraine's greatest hope is that the activity of these courts will lead to a provocation that will trigger a response from Russia.
But the North Atlantic Alliance does not want to dive deeply into this.
Led by the United States, the bloc is ready to make demonstrative gestures, but nothing more, ”the analyst believes.
The maximum that Ukraine can count on is a fleet of decommissioned ships, according to an RT source in the Batkivshchyna party.
“They will be tinted, cooked up, and the flag will be hung.
And on top they will put idle Soviet-style cannons.
Nobody is going to fight, it's just an image.
And Western partners will simply let Ukraine play "sea power".
As they say, no matter what the child is having fun, as long as it does not cry, "- said the representative of" Batkivshchyna ".
Experts also agree that Zelensky's words about plans to build a new navy by 2035 are another loud statement on the eve of the "Crimean Platform" and the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.
As the associate professor of Moscow State University Boris Mezhuev noted in an interview with RT, it "will not lead to anything."
“I don’t think that a new effective fleet in Ukraine can actually be built.
It sounds like some kind of manilovism, characterized by a dreamy, inactive attitude to the surrounding reality, ”the expert said.
Island-class patrol boat "Slavyansk", handed over to the US Naval Forces of Ukraine, in the port of Odessa
RIA News
© Igor Maslov
The RT source in the Servant of the People party also considers the statements of the Ukrainian leader about the new fleet to be populism.
“Zelensky, on the eve of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of independence, makes more and more loud statements.
Apparently, the president does not know how much it costs to create a strong navy.
We already see how old tanks are repainted to match new ones, and now, apparently, the ships will be the same.
And then, where to swim on them?
Along Odessa? "
He remarked.
According to Konovalov, Zelensky's statement is aimed at an internal audience, which for the most part does not understand such subtleties as Ukraine's potential to build its own fleet, even with the ghostly help of the West.
“This is a stupid, unfounded statement, indicating that Ukraine is headed by a person who is not very competent either in military or geopolitical matters, but loves to create hype as a typical representative of the entertainment industry, as a person whose task - make you laugh and make money on it, ”the analyst concluded.