Europe Asia News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Portsmouth Naval Base together with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and inspected the Ukrainian mine countermeasure vessel Cherkasy.

Zelensky stated that the Cherkasy was transferred to Ukraine by the United Kingdom in January 2023.

Zelensky said that a total of five Ukrainian mine countermeasure vessels—Melitopol, Mariupol, Henichesk, Cherkasy and Chernihiv—are currently stationed at Portsmouth Naval Base. He noted that the vessels will remain there until the end of the war and will then be used for mine clearance operations in Ukraine's maritime waters.

Emphasizing that Ukraine is a maritime nation, Zelensky said efforts to strengthen the country's naval capabilities are continuing and thanked the United Kingdom and the partner countries supporting Ukraine.