Head of the Ukrainian navy Oleksiy Neizhpapa announced that Kyiv is ready to accept two British ships that the Royal Navy plans to decommission due to a shortage of sailors.
In an interview with Western media, Neizhpapa expressed enthusiasm about the potential transfer of the two frigates to Ukraine, stating, “We would be very happy if the decision to transfer the frigates (to Ukraine) is made.”
“We must have the capabilities to make sure that Russia will give up forever the thought of even looking in Ukraine’s direction, including at sea,” Vice Admiral Neizhpapa said.
Reports indicate that the United Kingdom is considering decommissioning the frigates “Westminster” and “Argyll” due to a lack of personnel, a move deemed necessary to allocate resources for new ships.
Since the onset of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine on February 24, Western countries, led by the United States and Britain, have continued to provide military assistance to Ukraine.
The UK, US, and other allies only agreed to start giving Ukraine longer-range missiles last year. Ukrainian forces have used them to hit targets in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine but not deep inside Russia amid concerns about escalation.
Moscow maintains that the special military operation will not cease until all its objectives are achieved, despite Western military support for Ukraine aimed at obstructing the operation.
