After release from Russian captivity, the military boat returned to the service of the Ukrainian Navy

At the Mykolaiv shipyard repair of the small armored artillery boat  Nikopol, which was seized by Russia in 2018 during provocation around the Kerch Strait came to the end. This was reported in Ukroboronprom.

After the military acceptance, the boat left the water area of ​​the plant and went to the point of its permanent deployment to perform combat missions in the Ukrainian Navy.

The repair of the boat began in February 2020 and did not stop during the quarantine. During this time, the specialists of the Mykolaiv Shipyard repaired the outer skin of the underwater part of the boat, propeller-rudder systems, tread protection, bottom, and onboard fittings and ship systems and equipment. In addition, electrical systems and electrical equipment were restored and the boat was painted.

We will remind that three warships of the Navy of Ukraine were seized around the Kerch Strait on November 25, 2018, during the transition from Odesa to Mariupol. There were 22 sailors and two SBU officers on board.

On May 25, 2019, the UN International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ruled that Russia should release Ukrainian sailors and hand over captured Ukrainian vessels to Ukraine.

On November 20, 2019, small armored artillery boats Nikopol and Berdyansk and the tug Yana Kapu arrived in Ochakiv of the Mykolaiv area.

Russia returned ships to Ukraine in a damaged condition.

Natalia Tolub