Netherlands delivers another minehunter to Ukraine's Navy
According to him, the Ukrainian Naval Forces received another mine countermeasures vessel from the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
During the official ceremony, the Ukrainian flag was raised on the new vessel, which has been named "Henichesk".
The event was attended by:
Commander of the Ukrainian Navy, Vice Admiral Oleksii Neizhpapa, noted that the vessel was named after a previous minesweeper of the same name, which was lost while carrying out a mission, covering fellow service members from a special unit.
According to the Commander, "Henichesk" will strengthen Ukraine's mine countermeasure capabilities, particularly in detecting, locating, and neutralizing naval mines. Following its transfer, the Ukrainian Navy now has five mine countermeasures vessels in service.
The Vice Admiral also said he thanked the Dutch crew for their service, care for the vessel, and keeping it in excellent condition. He emphasized:
"I thanked the Dutch crew for their service, care for the vessel, and for maintaining it in excellent condition. I assured them that with a Ukrainian crew it will continue to perform its duties with honor and contribute to security in the Black Sea and, if necessary, beyond."
Previously, the United Kingdom transferred Sandown-class vessels Cherkasy and Chernihiv to Ukraine, while Belgium and the Netherlands provided Alkmaar-class ships Melitopol and Mariupol.
About the Alkmaar-class
A mine countermeasures vessel of the Alkmaar type is a modern naval ship designed to detect and destroy sea mines. These ships are equipped with specialized sonar systems for mine detection and remotely operated or autonomous devices for mine neutralization.
Key specifications of the Alkmaar-class minesweeper include:
The Alkmaar is fitted with advanced navigation and communication systems, enabling the crew to safely carry out missions even in challenging maritime conditions. Ships of this class are actively used to protect important sea routes and ports, ensuring the safety of maritime traffic.
The Alkmaar class of minehunters was jointly developed for Belgium, France, and the Netherlands based on the French Circé-class minesweepers. A total of 35 vessels were built for the three navies in the 1980s-1990s.
Each country was responsible for different components of the ships:
It is also worth recalling that in April this year, in Vlissingen, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten met with Ukrainian sailors training aboard the mine countermeasures vessel Zr. Ms. Makkum.
At that time, it was stated that the Netherlands would fully train the crew and transfer the vessel to Ukraine in June. This ship is already the fifth such vessel to be delivered to Ukraine.
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15 of June 2026
