UK to provide undersea minehunter drones to help Ukraine clear coastline amid ongoing war

Amid the ongoing war between Moscow and Kyiv in Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom has decided to donate underwater drones to Ukraine Armed Forces and train them to use the equipment to clear mines off their coastline. According to a press release by the UK Defence Ministry, as many as six autonomous minehunting vehicles will be shipped to the war-torn country to assist it in locating Russian mines in the waters. It further stated that three of the underwater drones would be provided from UK stockpiles, while the remaining three will be acquired from the industry.

The compact autonomous vehicle is intended for usage on rocky shorelines. Using a variety of sensors, it operates successfully at depths of up to 100 metres to find mines. The UK Defence Ministry stated that dozens of Ukrainian Navy personnel will be trained to operate the drones over the next few months, with the first batch already started its training. "This vital equipment and training will help Ukraine make their waters safe, helping to smooth the flow of grain to the rest of the world and supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine as they look to defend their coastline and ports," Defence Secretary Ben Wallace stated, as per the release. 

Training demonstrates Britain's unwavering support for Ukraine: UK MoD

The three-week training sessions will be led by the Royal Navy's Diving & Threat Exploitation Group and the US Navy's 6th Fleet. The UK Defence Ministry further underscored that they will conduct training at sea to run the vessels and analyse the data they send back to identify fictitious mines. It stated that this training is another compelling illustration of the UK's unwavering support for Ukraine in its struggle to defend its nation and fend off Russian aggression.

"Through the expert skills being taught here, our Ukrainian allies will be able to clear their own waters of mines. These weapons target shipping indiscriminately, but particularly affect civilian traffic and trade and have had a devastating impact on freedom of navigation in the Black Sea," Admiral Sir Ben Key, First Sea Lord and Chief of the UK Naval Staff, stated. 

Notably, the UK government led by PM Johnson continuously supported Ukraine since Russia launched a full-fledged war on February 24. Recently, PM Johnson also announced an additional £54 million assistance package for the war-torn country, which includes unmanned missile and surveillance systems for Ukraine's Armed Forces. 

Image: AP