Ukraine’s United24 initiative, an organization launched by Volodymyr Zelensky is the main venue for collecting charitable donations in support of Ukraine, started a fundraising campaign to build a multi-purpose USV fleet consisting of 100 USVs.
United24 mentioned the Ukrainian kamikaze attack on Russian Black Sea Fleet ships at the Sevastopol base on October 29, 2022, and highlighted the significance of this attack, which was a first in naval warfare. The initiative also shared the main goal of assembling the world’s first drone fleet.
It will protect the waters of Ukrainian seas and also peaceful cities from cruise missiles launched by Russian forces from their ships. It will unblock a corridor for civilian vessels that carry grain for the whole world.
United24 fundraising portal
According to United24, the USV fleet will defend the Ukrainian waters, stop Russian ships carrying missiles from leaving the bay, protect merchant ships, and perform secret missions. They also underlined that these drones can participate in long-range maritime reconnaissance and coastal surveillance, escorting and supporting the traditional fleet, convoying merchant ships, zoning in artillery fire, defending Ukraine’s bases, and countering amphibious operations.
Naval News reached out to the Ukrainian ambassador to Türkiye, Mr. Vasyl Bodnar, to find out more about the campaign, Ukraine’s expectations from this fleet, and its potential impact on the grain corridor agreement.
NN: Hi, Mr. Bodnar. Can you tell us about Ukraine’s recent fundraising campaign for a USV fleet? All fundraisers for the TB2 drones have been successful so far, but this is a much larger campaign. Can you predict a date when the campaign will reach its goal and the fleet will be built?
Mr. Bodnar: A couple of days ago our President Volodymyr Zelenskyy launched a fundraising campaign for a fleet of naval drones. The money is collected through the United24 fundraising platform.
“Over 120 million UAH (~3.000.000 USD) were collected only at the first day of campaign. These costs will cover purchasing of 12 drones. Ukrainian people are well self-organised and are very supportive for such initiatives.”
Vasily Bodnar, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Türkiye
A lot of companies, businesses, and private people are donating money for the defence of Ukraine. For example, Lithuanian journalist Andrius Tapinas together with the people of Lithuania collected 250,000 dollars which will be transferred via UNITED24 for these drones.
NN: Ukraine scored a major success in the attack on Sevaspotol in late October. This was a first in naval warfare. What is Ukraine’s further expectations from this fleet?
Mr. Bodnar: We need to protect the water area of Ukrainian seas and peaceful cities from cruise missiles launched by the Russian navy. The Russian fleet is constantly terrorizing peaceful Ukrainian cities. Since the beginning of the war, the Russian armed forces has fired more than 4,500 missiles against Ukraine. Every fifth of them was launched from the sea. Ukraine had nothing to oppose the aggressor with, as the Ukrainian fleet lost 80% of its ships after the occupation of Crimea in 2014. So, the Ukrainian naval drone fleet is an adequate response to the superior Russian navy. And for sure we will create this fleet as soon as possible.
“Even more, three new drones had been proposed to obtain their names: “Kherson”, “Sevastopol” and “Mariupol”.“
The drone fleet might have a task to protect merchant ships from possible Russian attacks. I would like to remind You that from the beginning of the war it was the Russian navy that blocked Ukrainian ports, attacked merchant ships, Ukrainian cities, and infrastructure, and occupied some of our territories. Moreover, it is located in the temporarily occupied ports of Ukraine which we will need to liberate soon. So, the Russian navy is a legitimate target for the Ukrainian defense forces and we will do our best to defeat it.
NN: Russia has halted its participation in the Black Sea Grain Corridor Initiative in response to Ukraine’s USV attack on Black Sea Fleet vessels. However, the Kremlin announced that it will return to the agreement due to Turkey’s diplomatic efforts. Will the future USV fleet affect the grain corridor agreement?
Mr. Bodnar: Russia and its navy created a shortage of food (particularly, grain) on global markets. And only active diplomatic efforts of Türkiye and the UN had made the grain deal possible. Let me clarify that the Russian navy in the Black Sea had and has nothing to do with the grain initiative. Even more, it poses a potential threat to merchant ships in the Black Sea because of Russian aggressiveness and unpredictability.
From our side, we fully fulfilled and will fulfill our international obligations. The grain agreement is crucial for Ukraine and not a single step was done from our side to undermine this deal. We have never used either grain corridors or merchant ships for our military operations against the Russian navy. And we will never undermine trust and high-level cooperation with our strategic partner – Türkiye.
“Russia is losing a battlefield and losing a war. Moscow is desperately looking for negotiation and tries to manipulate international public opinion. Our position is very clear – Russia should leave our territories, including Crimea and Donbas, should pay reparations and those Russians who are responsible for war crimes must be brought to responsibility. The peace settlement must be just, and long-lasting and create real guarantees for stable peace in the region.”
Vasily Bodnar, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Türkiye
NN: Many thanks for your answers and your cooperation.
