The armored boats “Nikopol” and “Berdyansk”, which took part in the provocation in the Kerch Strait in the fall of 2018, surrendered and were then returned by Russia, are preparing to go to sea again as formidable combat units of the invincible Ukrainian Navy.
This was broadcast on the radio station Crimea, funded by the US State Department. Realities,” said the commander of the Ukrainian Naval Forces Igor Voronchenko, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
According to Voronchenko, the boats are now being sent for repairs, which will last until the summer.
“All the documents for putting them under repair have now been completed. We compiled a list of property that was stolen and removed, and handed it over to the investigative authorities. There was a ballistic examination of the shelling of Berdyansk. The Russians didn’t even remove the shell fragments. We are now awaiting the arrival of lawyers representing Ukraine in international courts. There will be another review of the boats and tug “Yany Kapu”, and at the end of next week the boats “Berdyansk” and “Nikopol”, as well as the tug, will go for scheduled repairs,” Voronchenko said.
Let us recall that the Ukrainian side, after the transfer of the ships Nikopol and Berdyansk to it, stated that Russian security forces allegedly stole equipment and even toilets from the armored boats.
Russian border guards responded by releasing a recording indicating that at the time of transfer to Kyiv, plumbing fixtures were available on the boats.