Two NATO warships, frigate HMCS Toronto of the Canadian Navy and Spanish frigate Santa Maria, have arrived at the Black Sea port of Odesa on April 1, in a friendly visit to demonstrate the alliance’s support of Kyiv and for subsequent joint maneuvers with Ukrainian military vessels.
According to Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, the Western warships are expected to spend three days at Ukrainian shores, with their crews having rest and welcoming civilian visitors aboard for free. After the layover in the Ukrainian port, the craft will conduct a passing exercise on practicing combat communication and cooperation with Ukrainian colleagues in the sea.
On Apr. 1 afternoon, the frigates, part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2), were officially met by Vice Admiral Andriy Tarasov, the Chief Executive Officer of Ukraine’s navy.
The frigates entered the Black Sea region late on March 29, along with its fellow SNMG2 warships, namely Dutch destroyer Evertsen (the group’s flagship), Turkish missile frigate Gelibolu, and French auxiliary vessel Var.
Shortly after entering the aquatic area through the Bosphorus Strait, the group early next day got escorted by Russian Black Sea Fleet surveillance vessels Ivan Khurs and Vasiliy Bykov.
According to Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, the Canadian vessel Toronto is a 4000-ton Halifax-class frigate armed with Harpoon shipwreck missiles, Mark 46 anti-submarine torpedo, an air defense missile complex, and a 57-millimeter cannon. It is also capable of carrying a Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone helicopter.
Meanwhile, the Spanish Navy frigate Santa Maria is a leading 4,000-ton vessel of its own class that includes five more warships. It is operated since October 1986 and features two 41,000-horse power strong internal-combustion turbines boosting the vessel to the speed of up to 30 knots.
It is armed with Harpoon missiles, too, and air defense and anti-submarine hardware, and can carry two Sikorsky CH-60 Seahawk helicopters.
This is the fourth visit of NATO warships to Ukrainian shores since the beginning of the year.
As recently as on March 24, the Odesa port welcomed the French navy’s Eridan-class Capricorne minesweeper, which also participated in a passing exercise with Ukraine’s missile boat Pryluky in the Black Sea.
The alliance’s maritime presence in the region drastically increased following Russia’s overt attack on Ukrainian military vessels on Nov. 25, 2018 in neutral waters near the Kerch Strait, which resulted in all 24 Ukrainian crewmembers seized and imprisoned by Russia.
Over the past months following the deadly incident, warships of several NATO naval powers, namely the United States and Great Britain, were sent to Ukrainian shores to demonstrate the alliance’s intention to deter the Kremlin’s growing appetite in the aquatic region.
