Zelensky: ‘If Russian warships stay in Black Sea, they will fear to get close to Crimea’

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian Navy Commander Oleksiy Neizhpapa discussed the situation in the Black Sea, Russia's capabilities to launch missile strikes, and the defense capabilities of the Ukrainian Navy in Odesa Oblast on July 2.

Vice Admiral Neizhpapa briefed Zelensky on the strategy for developing the Ukrainian Navy and the creation of a Marine Corps in Ukraine.

In the Black Sea port city of Odesa, Zelensky congratulated the marines on Ukrainian Navy Day, celebrated on the first Sunday of July.

“If Russian warships are still in the Black Sea, they will be afraid to approach our Ukrainian Crimea and Azov Sea coast. This will definitely happen,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky also presented state awards to the marines and combat banners to the units.

Meanwhile, Russia currently has nice warships in the Black Sea, including four Kalibr cruise missile carriers with up to 24 missiles on board, the Ukrainian Navy Command reported on July 2.

In the Azov Sea, Russia keeps one warship, according to the report.

Kyiv’s frustration boils as flow of Western chips for Russian missiles continues uninterrupted

Destroyed apartments, burnt-out cars, lives upturned or extinguished altogether: Russia’s June 13 missile attack on the city of Kryvyi Rih was, in many ways, nothing out of the ordinary for wartime Ukraine. The evening after the attack, which killed 13 civilians, President Volodymyr Zelensky came o…

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell