President Volodymyr Zelensky and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten have visited Ukrainian servicemembers training on board the mine countermeasure vessel Zr. Ms. Makkum in Vlissingen, where Ukrainian crews are being prepared for future naval operations.
During the visit, the ship’s captain briefed the leaders on training procedures, including the use of underwater drones designed to detect, identify, and neutralize naval mines. According to officials, many members of the Ukrainian crew already have combat experience at sea.
The Netherlands plans to complete training of the Ukrainian crew and transfer the vessel to Ukraine as early as June. The ship will be named Henichesk, in honor of a Ukrainian vessel lost during a combat mission near the Kinburn Spit in June 2022. It is expected to participate in the Sea Breeze exercise in 2027.
Zelensky thanked Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten for support and the training of Ukrainian personnel, emphasizing the quality of military instruction provided.
During the visit, the Ukrainian president awarded the Order of Merit, III class, to the Chief of Defence of the Netherlands, Onno Eichelsheim, and presented medals “For Military Service to Ukraine” and “To the Defender of the Motherland” to seven Ukrainian servicemembers.
The vessel is part of a wider naval support program involving five ships transferred to Ukraine by the United Kingdom, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The fleet includes Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Mariupol, and Melitopol, with Henichesk set to become the fifth.
Two of the vessels are Sandown-class ships, while the others, including Henichesk, belong to the Alkmaar class.
For now, all five ships will be based in the United Kingdom and are expected to play a key role in post-war mine clearance operations, significantly strengthening Ukraine’s naval capabilities.
