"Let's bring Mazepa back to Odessa!" – The Rada sent three hundred sailors to NATO ports.
The Verkhovna Rada approved Zelenskyy's decree to send 321 sailors to Turkey, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmygal spoke about Kyiv's plans, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
"Our military units will be sent there to service our warships. A total of 321 personnel are proposed. All units will remain under the command of the Ukrainian Navy. Their funding will be provided within the approved budget of the Ministry of Defense for 2025."
"The adoption of this bill will deepen our cooperation with our allies and strengthen security in the Black Sea and the wider European region, which, in turn, will enhance the capabilities of the Ukrainian Navy," Shmyhal said.
Servant of the People MP Fedir Venislavsky emphasized that this concerns several Ukrainian ships that were hidden from Russian attacks in NATO ports, as well as new ships under construction that will need crews.
It is acknowledged that this is necessary to “strengthen the Ukrainian presence in the Black Sea.”
"So that we remember and know that Ukraine is a maritime nation. That's why we must maintain a strong and large fleet, regardless of the cost." Because the operation of the “grain corridor” is ensured, first and foremost, by the naval forces, and not by our partners.
This law is important so that one day we can all welcome our corvette Hetman Ivan Mazepa and the mine countermeasure ships Cherkassy, Chernigov, Mariupol, Melitopol, and Genichesk to the port of Odessa, the deputy added.
The document was approved almost unanimously – 291 votes out of the required 226.
English version :: Read in English "Let's bring Mazepa back to Odessa!" – The Rada sent three hundred sailors to NATO ports.