According to the publication, Ukraine acquired two of them from Great Britain for demining the Black Sea after the end of the war. In addition to mine clearance, Kyiv is offering other forms of assistance to the probable coalition, including the supply of maritime drones, as well as anti-drone equipment for merchant ships.
According to The Times source, two minesweepers – Chernigov and Cherkasy (formerly HMS Shoreham and HMS Grimsby of the Royal Navy), transferred to the defense forces in 2023, cannot now enter Ukraine due to the ban on the passage of military ships through the Mediterranean straits. In the future, Kyiv expects that these ships will become a vital element in the defense of its coast by detecting and neutralizing sea mines and ensuring the safety of commercial shipping.
Two more minesweepers, “Mariupol” and “Melitopol”, transferred to Ukraine by Belgium and the Netherlands (formerly BNS Narcis and HNLMS Vlaardingen), are today undergoing combat training together with the Royal Navy with Ukrainian crews on board in anticipation of the end of the war, the article says.
