New military boat base to appear in Odessa

The squadron of the Ukrainian Navy river boats will be based in Odessa in the Practical Harbor of the Western Naval Base of the Navy. This information has been announced by the media center of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

Ukrainian army has never had any river forces in its structure.

According to the acting commander of the Western Naval Base, Captain second rank Igor Zaytsev, the new squadron will be dedicated to serve at frontier rivers, lakes, coastal salt lakes, as well as for external raids in coastal waters.

The plans are that in 2013 it will get first two armored artillery boats from "Gyurza-М" project, laid in October 2012 at the “Lenin Kuznitsa” plant in Kyiv, and the training of crews will be commenced at the same time. And 2014 will be the year for completion of the squadron formation, completed with new boats of this type.

Captain third rank Roman Kodymsky has been appointed as the squadron commander, having certain successful experience of commanding the squadron of escort and provision vessels of the Western Naval Base.

Adapted from: Most - Odessa

English translation by BSN