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Former Dutch minehunter handed over to Ukrainian Navy
The Ukrainian Navy has received another mine countermeasures vessel from the Kingdom of the Netherland. On June 15, Alkmaar-class mine countermeasures ship 'Makkum' was officially handed over to the Ukrainian Naval Forces as 'Henichesk', further strengthening Ukraine’s capabilities in detecting and neutralizing naval mines. During the official ceremony, the Ukrainian naval flag was raised on the newly commissioned vessel in the presence of senior naval representatives from the Netherlands, Belgium, Romania, Lithuania, and Latvia.The vessel was named after a previous Ukrainian minesweeper that was lost while carrying out a combat mission, covering the withdrawal of a special forces unit. The Commander of the Ukrainian Navy expressed gratitude to the Dutch crew for maintaining the ship in excellent condition and noted that the vessel would continue to serve effectively under Ukrainian command. He emphasised that it would contribute to maritime security in the Black Sea and beyond if necessary.With the addition of “Henichesk,” the Ukrainian Navy was now operating five mine countermeasures vessels. Earlier contributions included the Sandown-class ships “Cherkasy” and “Chernihiv” provided by the United Kingdom, as well as Alkmaar-class vessels “Melitopol” and “Mariupol” transferred by Belgium and the Netherlands. The Ukrainian naval leadership thanked international partners for their continued support, underscoring that the cooperation strengthens collective maritime security efforts. Report with photos: https://odessa-journal.com/the-ukrainian-navy-has-received-another-mine-countermeasures-vessel-from-the-kingdom-of-the-netherlands
Ukraine gets fifth minesweeper in June
The Netherlands will formally transfer Ukraine's fifth minesweeper, the 'Henichesk', in June 2026. The ship will bear the name of a Ukrainian vessel Russia destroyed in combat in 2022 and will join a growing Western-supplied mine-clearing fleet currently based in the UK. The ships cannot enter the Black Sea during active hostilities. Since Russia started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Türkiye has been enforcing the 1936 Montreux Convention, which bars new warships from passing through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits into the Black Sea as long as the war continues. Ukraine's maritime demining capacity will be critical after the war, while the Black Sea contains mines from both World War II and Russia's ongoing invasion, and clearing major shipping lanes is essential to restoring Ukraine's economy and grain exports. On April 16, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten met with Ukrainian servicemen training on the Alkmaar-class mine countermeasure vessel Zr. Ms. 'Makkum' in Flushing. The minehunter's commander briefed both leaders on the progress of training. A significant portion of the Ukrainian sailors have real combat experience, including at sea. The crew works with various types of underwater drones — remotely operated vehicles used to search for, identify, and neutralize mines. The Netherlands will complete crew training and formally hand over the vessel. It is the second donation from the Netherlands. The ship will carry the name Henichesk and is planned to participate in the Sea Breeze exercise in 2027. The four ships Ukraine already holds are the 'Cherkasy' and 'Chernihiv', both Sandown-class minehunters from the UK, and the 'Mariupol' and 'Melitopol', formerly Alkmaar-class vessels from Belgium and the Netherlands. With the new 'Henichesk', also of the Alkmaar class, all five will remain in the UK. After the war has ended, they will proceed to Ukrainian waters for demining operations and will significantly strengthen the Navy's capabilities.
Minehunter handed over to Ukraine
The Dutch Ministry of Defence, together with Belgium, has donated minehunters to Ukraine. The Dutch Zr. Ms. 'Vlaardingen' will bear the name 'Melitopol', after the Ukrainian city that has been temporarily occupied by the Russians. The ship was handed over at the Belgian naval base Zeebrugge. Later in 2025 the Zr.Ms. 'Makkum' will also be delivered. That ship will bear the name 'Henichesk', another temporarily occupied city in Ukraine. The ministry did not report what the Belgian ship BNS 'Narcis' will be called. The Ukrainian crew has been trained by Belgian and Dutch trainers, technicians and maintenance teams.
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