The Sandown-class minehunters for the Ukrainian Navy received their names

Two Sandown-class vessels, which are awaiting transfer to the Naval Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, have received their names.

Taras Chmut, Founder of Militarnyi, announced this on Twitter.

According to him, future combat units of the Ukrainian Navy received the names “Cherkasy” and “Chernihiv.”

“Cherkasy” and “Chernihiv” – these are the names of the future minehunters of the Ukrainian Navy, which will soon reinforce our fleet,” Chmut wrote.

He published a photo of one of the Sandown-class vessels. There, the name “Cherkasy” can be seen.

Thus, the Ukrainian Navy decided to name their future minehunters with the names of the minesweepers lost after the occupation of Crimea.

The sea minesweeper “Chernihiv” of the 266М project was lost on March 24, 2014. The ship’s captain, Boris Paliy, proved to be a traitor and defected to the Russian Federation.

The “Cherkasy” sea minesweeper of the 266М project remained the longest under the Ukrainian flag in March 2014 and was lost on March 25, 2014, after the assault by the Russian Armed Forces. The ship’s crew decided to resist and made two attempts to leave Lake Donuzlav towards Odesa. This attempt failed as the Russians blocked the exit with the flooded vessels. “Cherkasy ” ran aground, and Ukrainian sailors started a perimeter defense of the ship.

For the assault, the Russians used the Mi-35 helicopters and special forces units that boarded the vessel. The “Cherkasy” crew went ashore and left for the mainland of Ukraine. Yurii Fedash, “Cherkasy” captain, continued to serve in senior positions in the Ukrainian Navy.

Sandown-class minesweepers are in service with the United Kingdom (9), Estonia (3), and Saudi Arabia (3). The first vessel was commissioned in 1989. All Sandown-class vessels are scheduled to be decommissioned from the British fleet during the 2020s.

The hull is made of reinforced fiberglass. Vessels do not have equipment for minesweeping. The only role is to search and destroy mines using remotely controlled search vehicles. A secondary role is the patrol ship.

Vessel specifications:

Displacement: 600 t (590 long tons; 660 short tons)
Length: 52.5 m (172 ft 3 in)
Beam: 10.9 m (35 ft 9 in)
Draught: 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
Speed: 13 kn (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Complement: 34 sailors (can accommodate up to 40)
Armament:
1 × 30mm DS30M Mark 2 Automated Small Caliber Gun
3 × Miniguns
2 × General purpose machine guns
Special equipment: Atlas Elektronik IMCMS automated countermine warfare control system.

Ukrainian crews of future Ukrainian Navy vessels of the Sandown class are being trained in the UK.

The intention of Great Britain to transfer two vessels of this project to the Ukrainian fleet was first announced in the summer of 2021. This is part of the agreement between Ukraine and the United Kingdom to develop the Ukrainian Navy.

The UK is also transferring the former Royal Navy Ramsey and Blyth minehunters to Ukraine.