Kiev expects to receive the first ADA-class corvette, which is being built in Turkey for the Ukrainian navy, in 2023. This was announced on Tuesday, July 27, according to the message of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
"The construction of the first ADA-class corvette of the MILGEM project for the Naval Forces of Ukraine is underway in the Republic of Turkey with strict compliance with the schedule," the military department said.
According to him, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Andriy Taran, an agreement was reached with the Turkish side that the hull of the first corvette will be built in Turkey, and the equipment will remain with Ukraine.
"All subsequent ADA-class corvettes will be built exclusively on Ukrainian capacities. These warships will significantly strengthen the defense of Ukraine in the Azov-Black Sea region in the future and will allow them to be mutually compatible with NATO member states," the head of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said.
MILGEM project warships were adopted by the Armed Forces of the Republic of Turkey and have successful experience in performing combat missions in the waters of the Mediterranean and Black Seas. The ADA-class corvettes provide protection against high-precision missiles, equipped with modern radio and sonar equipment, as well as an air defense system.
Earlier in the day, Hassan Unal, a professor at the Turkish University of Maltepe, said that the negotiations between Ankara and Kiev on the supply of weapons to Ukraine should not affect Turkey's relations with the Russian Federation. According to him, Russia should accept the further development of relations between Turkey and Ukraine. As he noted, the supply of a couple of dozen Turkish drones will not make the armed forces of Ukraine superior in power to Russia.
On July 15, Turkey delivered the first Bayraktar TB2 unmanned complex to the Ukrainian Navy. It was pointed out that this Turkish complex will make it possible to conduct effective "surveillance and cover the coast and waters of the Black and Azov Seas", as well as to hit "high-precision means" ground and surface enemy objects.
In June, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said that his country had purchased attack drones from Turkey to "deter" Russia and protect its territory.
