Türkiye delivers another corvette to Ukraine

ISTANBUL

Ukraine has taken delivery of a second Turkish-built navy corvette although they did not say specifically how the warships might be used in the war against Russia.

Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska attended the launching ceremony of the Ada-class corvette during a visit to Istanbul, the Ukrainian presidency announced on its website.

The corvette Ukraine has is currently undergoing sea trials.

Turkish Ada-class ships are typically able to strike planes, other ships and submarines.

“On this path we have embarked on for the defense of Türkiye, we are transferring our engineering expertise and technologies to friendly and brotherly countries,” said Özgür Güleryüz, CEO of STM, a Turkish defense contractor.

Güleryüz announced that the vessel will undertake its maiden voyage in 2026, adding that the second vessel will be delivered to the Ukrainian Navy in the first quarter of 2027

Ukraine, which has coastlines on the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov, had a small navy at the time of Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion.

But it has developed deadly uncrewed sea drones that have severely limited Moscow’s Black Sea naval capability.

The Ukrainian presidency said the corvettes would help protect the country’s interests in the Black and Azov seas “but also, in particular, in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.”

“So now the second corvette has been launched,” Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk said. “The next step is to equip it with the appropriate weapons systems and train the second crew.”

He said a new crew of 100 men would be trained to work on the ship.

International law forbids the passage of warships through Türkiye’s busy Bosporus Strait, which links the Mediterranean and Black seas, during times of war. However, Kiev’s statement didn’t say where exactly the Turkish shipyard was located, meaning it could be on the northern side of the strait, with a direct route to Ukraine.

Ukraine ordered the two Turkish corvettes under an agreement signed in 2020, the presidency said.

Ukrainian authorities last month adopted a Maritime Security Strategy that aims to rebuild its naval capability.

It is also getting help with that from Western partners. The maritime capability coalition, headed by the United Kingdom and Norway, was established last December.