The UK has transferred two minesweepers from the Royal Navy to Ukraine. They have already arrived in Portsmouth, where their crews are undergoing training to prepare for missions in the Black Sea.
The Sandown class warships HMS Grimsby and HMS Shoreham have been withdrawn from the Royal Navy and transferred to the Ukrainian military, where they will operate under the names Chernihiv and Cherkasy. The ships, which had each served in the Royal Navy for more than 20 years, arrived at Portsmouth Naval Station after sailing from Scotland.
They will remain in Portsmouth while crew members undergo training to prepare them to search for mines in the Black Sea.
"The ships are currently unable to enter the Black Sea due to the terms of the Montreux Convention, which restricts the passage of military vessels through the Bosphorus Strait during war. However, they will be a critical asset for Ukraine in its future coastline defense as the UK seeks to support "long-term capabilities of the Ukrainian Navy as it seeks to protect commercial shipping by detecting and clearing sea mines," a British Ministry of Defence spokesman said.