Ukraine adds another Turkish corvette to its navy for the war with Russia

KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukraine has taken delivery of a second Turkish-built navy corvette, officials said Friday, although they did not say specifically how the warships might be used in the war against Russia.

Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska, attended the launching ceremony of the Ada-class corvette during a visit to Turkey, the Ukrainian presidency announced on its website.

The corvette Ukraine already had is currently undergoing sea trials.

Turkish Ada-class ships are typically able to strike planes, other ships and submarines.

Ukraine, which has coastlines on the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov, had a small navy at the time of Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion.

But it has developed deadly uncrewed sea drones that have severely limited Moscow’s Black Sea naval capability.

The Ukrainian presidency said the corvettes would help protect the country’s interests in the Black and Azov seas “but also, in particular, in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.”

“So now the second corvette has been launched,” Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk told The Associated Press. “The next step is to equip it with the appropriate weapons systems and train the second crew.”

He said a new crew of 100 men would be trained to work on the ship.

International law forbids the passage of warships through Turkey's busy Bosporus Strait, which links the Mediterranean and Black seas, during times of war. However, the presidency's statement didn’t say where exactly the Turkish shipyard was located, meaning it could be on the northern side of the strait, with a direct route to Ukraine.

Ukraine ordered the two Turkish corvettes under an agreement signed in 2020, the presidency said.

Ukrainian authorities last month adopted a Maritime Security Strategy that aims to rebuild its naval capability.

It is also getting help with that from Western partners. The maritime capability coalition, headed by the United Kingdom and Norway, was established last December.

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