Zelenskyy, Dutch PM visit Ukrainian troops training on mine countermeasure vessel PHOTO

In the Dutch port city of Vlissingen, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of the Netherlands Rob Jetten met Ukrainian service personnel undergoing training aboard the mine countermeasure vessel Zr. Ms. Makkum.

The ship’s commander briefed the leaders on the training programme, which includes the use of various underwater drones to detect, identify and neutralise mines, the Office of the President of Ukraine has reported.

Many of the Ukrainian sailors involved have prior combat experience, including at sea.

The Netherlands will fully train the crew and is set to transfer the vessel to Ukraine in June. The ship will be renamed Henichesk, in honour of a Ukrainian vessel lost during a combat mission near the Kinburn Spit in June 2022. It is expected to take part in the Sea Breeze exercise in 2027.

Zelenskyy thanked Jetten for the Netherlands’ support and the training provided to Ukrainian forces, highlighting the high standard of preparation.

During the visit, the Ukrainian president awarded the Order of Merit, Third Class, to Onno Eichelsheim and presented medals for military service to seven Ukrainian personnel.

The vessel will become the fifth of its kind to be delivered to Ukraine. The first four were provided by the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands, and are named Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Mariupol and Melitopol. Two belong to the Sandown class, while the remaining vessels, including Henichesk, are of the Alkmaar class.

All five ships will remain based in the United Kingdom for now. Following the end of the war, they are expected to play a key role in clearing mines from Ukrainian waters and significantly strengthening the capabilities of the country’s navy.

By Aghakazim Guliyev