Ukrainian Navy Today

   Present day Ukrainian navy is considered to be the third largest in the Black Sea region, after the navies of Russian Federation and Turkey. Ever since Ukraine declared its independence in 1991, a debate has been going on withregards the future of the Black Sea fleet of the Soviet Union.  The Crimean peninsula being the main base of the Soviet Navy also became a disputed subject due to its strategical value.  Only by 1995 the on going debate has been resolved and Ukraine has settled for the 20% of the whole Black Sea fleet and all of the superstructures in Crimea.  The Russian navy had to be partialy relocated to its Azov bases and partialy was leased the naval bace of Simferopol in Crimea. 

The reason why Ukraine had settled for such deal was that most of the ships of the former Soviet navy were in poor conditions and more money would be spent on modernizing them.  Since Ukraine possesses one of the best  shipjards of the old Soviet Union, mainly the Mykolaivskyj  shipjard, its been descided that new ships would be constructed. 

Rocket cruiser "Hetman Sahajdachnyj"

As of today the naval forces of Ukraine are composed of vessels:

Naval Vessels
Destroyers...............................................7
Frigates...................................................26
Cruisers...................................................5
Missile cruiser with helicopetes................1
Patrol and coastal combatants................60
Mine warfare vessels...............................30
Amphibious vessels.................................16
support and misscellaneous vessels.......140
Tactical Submarines................................16
Unidentified Submarines..........................2

Naval aviation bomber regiments.............2
Naval aviation fighter regiment.................1
Naval infantry division...............................1
Naval infantry artillery brigade..................1

Naval Aviation
Bomber Aircraft: 60
Tupolev Tu-26 Backfire...........................45
Tupolev Tu-16 Badger............................10
Tupolev Tu-22 Blinder.............................10

Sukhoi Su-17 Fitter fighter/ground attack aircraft: 40
Mikoyan-Furevich Mig-29 Fulcrum fighter aircraft: 35
Beriev Be-12 Mail antisubmarine warfare aircraft:  23

Maritime reconnaissance/electronic warfare aircraft:  21
Tupolev Tu-16 Badger ...........................12
Tupolerv Tu-22 Blinder.............................6
Antonov An-12 Cub..................................2
Ilyushin Il-20 Coot.....................................1

Antysumbarine-warfare helicopters:  85
Kamov Ka-25 Hormone...........................49
Mil Mi-14 Haze.........................................31
Kamov Ka-27 Helix countermeasures helicopters..5
Mil Mi-14 mine countermeasures helicopters.........5

Cruiser "Slavutych" on its visit to New York

Border guard ship

Admiral of the navy M. Ezhel

As of 1996 Ukraine had set up a Naval program to finish the uncompleated  Soviet wessels and modernize them.  New ships such as rocket cruiser "Hetman Sahajdachnyj" were built.  By the end of 2000 four new cruisers of the same class are being constructed. 

On the international scene Ukrainian Navy  widely cooperates with other naval powers in the region and beyond.   Thus to improve the Georgian navy, Ukraine has handed over four coastal ships and accepted Georgian students into its Marine Academy.  Each year such partnership programs as Sea Brease involve naval exersises with ships from United States and other Nato countries. 
The newest progect headed by Ukraine is to create C4 - a common Black Sea force  with ships from Turkey, Bolgaria and other countries from the region. 

Submarine base in Crimea

Unindentified cruser

Captain and his trainee

Launching of a missile