Five Ukrainian minehunters donated by Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands have spent a fortnight off Portland learning to clear sea mines alongside NATO allies.
A two-week exercise to sharpen Ukraine’s ability to hunt sea mines has finished off the Dorset coast. Sea Breeze 26-2 ended on Friday after a fortnight of training in the waters off Portland.
It was co-led by the US Sixth Fleet and Ukraine, and hosted by the Royal Navy.
Sixteen countries took part: Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Greece, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, the UK and the US.
Five Ukrainian Navy minehunters were involved, every one of them a gift from an ally. Chernihiv and Cherkasy came from the Royal Navy, Mariupol from Belgium, and Melitopol and Henichesk from the Netherlands.
Crews practised minehunting, bomb disposal, diving and salvage, live firing, and the use of uncrewed systems alongside crewed ones.
NATO said the training strengthened the ability of allied and partner navies to work together on maritime security and freedom of navigation.
Two ships from Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 joined the exercise, the Lithuanian command ship LNS Jotvingis and the Polish minehunter ORP Mewa.
Their commander, Lithuanian Navy Commander Donatas Gecas, said: “Under Lithuanian command, SNMCMG1 was proud to lead this multinational effort, working alongside the Ukrainian Navy and Allied partners to strengthen our ability to detect, identify and neutralise sea mines.”
He added: “Recent events have shown that mines remain one of the most persistent threats to maritime security, freedom of navigation and global trade. By training together, we enhance interoperability, share operational experience and ensure that our forces are ready to keep sea lines of communication open and safe.”
Sea Breeze has run since 1997 and used to take place in the Black Sea.
It moved after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Warship movements through the Turkish Straits are restricted in wartime under the Montreux Convention, and drifting mines have been a hazard to merchant shipping in the Black Sea ever since.
Ukraine lost its main naval bases in Crimea and much of its fleet, and has rebuilt around vessels handed over by allies.
Those minehunters are meant to clear the approaches to Ukrainian ports and help keep grain exports moving once conditions allow.
OT, but defence related.
Amused to see the “No 10 North” to be used by the PM is, for the time being, Heron House, GCHQs Manchester office. ( the overt one.)
Even more amusing, apparently he took a big plane up there, rather than bus, taxi, train, or walking, which seemingly every lefty on here and elsewhere including the Labour party, was screaming for when ANY Conservative minister dared to do ( often for quite valid security reasons as befitting for a VVIP such as the PM.
What a bunch of hypocrites!!!!!!
“Animal Farm”
“All Animals are equal…..”
You have to feel sorry for the Ukrainians having to use such outdated near obsolete ships.
Maybe we can donate the T45’s next ?
As the Russians were/are operating one of their frigates off our coastline. Would they fire on the Ukrainian Navy given half the chance?