Navy reveals plans to create mine countermeasures division

"We are moving forward, and as for further prospects, the creation of a full-fledged mine countermeasures division is currently being discussed because one of our main tasks is to ensure the safety of civilian shipping in our seas," Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesman for the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said during the United News telethon, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He emphasized that mine safety is one of the priorities.

The Navy already has two mine countermeasures ships participating in the Sea Breeze exercises, according to the spokesman. "And we hope that there will be at least four such units. We expect two more ships from the Netherlands," Pletenchuk informed.

He noted that demining is carried out constantly: "We have a mobile mine action group that constantly takes care of the ammunition in the visible zone, in the coastal zone, or those that are washed ashore or are under water."

Pletenchuk noted that a full-fledged mine clearance operation in the water area is a very complex operation that requires a number of favorable factors, first of all – the cessation of military operations.