Australia will provide Ukraine with 14 boats to strengthen maritime defence

Australia will provide Ukraine with 14 rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIB) as part of its defence assistance. These include the Sentinel 830R boats from the Australian Royal Navy.

This was reported by the Australian Department of Defence.

The Australian defence agency stated that the latest military support package for Ukraine, valued at 14 million dollars, "will strengthen Ukraine’s maritime and coastal defenses, which is a crucial operational area for the Ukrainian Armed Forces."

"These maritime boats from the Australian Defence Force will provide Ukraine with high-speed and highly maneuverable maritime capabilities," stated the country’s ministry.

The Australian Ministry of Defence added that this announcement of sending boats builds upon previous contributions to the development of Ukraine’s maritime capabilities, including rigid-hull inflatable boats, as announced by the country’s Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles earlier in the year.

The Australian ministry emphasizes that the aid is provided as part of the government’s ongoing commitment to "support Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s illegal invasion."

"Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Australia has provided over 1.3 billion dollars in military support and over 1.5 billion dollars in total support to the Ukrainian government," the Ministry of Defence reported.

According to Australian Deputy Prime Minister Marles, supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression is in Australia’s interest, and "it’s the right thing to do."

"Ukraine has demonstrated its ability to withstand prolonged attacks from Russia in the Black Sea. We are proud to contribute to this vital maritime defense with this new package," said the official.

The Sentinel 830R RHIBs are rigid-hull inflatable boats manufactured by Sentinel Boats, an Australian boat manufacturer producing high-quality military, rescue, and commercial vessels.