TSAMTO, December 3. Ukraine is starting the practical stage of construction of two naval bases in Berdyansk and Ochakov.
This, as RIA Novosti reports, was stated by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Alexey Reznikov on December 3 during the "hour of questions to the government" in the Verkhovna Rada.
As the agency reminds, earlier the British Foreign Ministry published the full text of the framework agreement on granting Ukraine a loan of 1.7 billion pounds to finance contracts for the purchase of weapons and the construction of naval infrastructure.
"We are moving to the practical stage of the construction of two naval bases in Berdyansk and Ochakov and other contacts within the framework of agreements with the United Kingdom," A. Reznikov said, speaking in the Rada.
In June of this year, the Ministries of Defense of Great Britain and Ukraine signed a memorandum on the implementation of support for building up the naval potential of Ukraine. The deal involves the supply of new naval platforms and defensive naval weapons to Ukraine, the training of Ukrainian Navy personnel, the creation of new military bases and the purchase of two second-hand Sundown-class minesweepers.
The loan agreement was submitted to the British Parliament on November 12 and has not yet entered into force, the agency notes.