Black Sea Fleet and Ukrainian Navy to conduct joint missile firings in summer

Russia's Black Sea Fleet (BSF) and Ukrainian Navy are about to hold joint missile firings in summer 2011 in the Black Sea, reports TSN.ua. 

That was said by Ukrainian Navy Deputy Commander VADM Sergei Yeliseyev and BSF Deputy Commander VADM Sergei Menyailo on May 4 at the final planning conference of Russian-Ukrainian exercise Fairway of Peace 2011 which is to be held in May 23-27. 

Answering the question why missile firings earlier planned to be conducted during the Fairway of Peace exercise were canceled, Menyailo said nobody had revoked the firings. 

Ukrainian frontiersmen renew their fleet

Ukraine will spend $125 mln for rearmament of frontier service in Crimea because existent fleet gets old, writes New Region citing deputy director of Ukrainian Frontier Service Pavel Shisholin. 

"We plan to launch six Coral class ships by 2015. Such vessels have displacement of 300 tons, speed of 30 knots, crew of 20 men, and fully automated control. Those ships are going to secure economic zone and territorial waters. Ships of this project are built in Nikolayev under Dutch technology. Also, we are about to commission eight Orlan class cutters with displacement of up to 50 tons and speed up to 40 knots. After allowing for inflation, the program will need about UAH 1 bln ($125 mln)", said the official in the interview toKrymskaya Pravda newspaper. 

Somali pirates released Ukrainian-crewed ship

Somali pirates released commercial vessel MV York with two Ukrainian crewmen on Wednesday, reports Ukrainian foreign ministry. 

Pirates hijacked Singaporean-flagged LNG tanker MV York in Oct 2010 off Kenya. There are 17 crewmembers on board the ship – one German, two Ukrainians and fourteen Filipinos. 

"Late in the evening of March 9 tanker MV York was released from pirates' captivity; there are two citizens of Ukraine aboard. Currently, the tanker is heading for one of the safe ports; nothing threats to health and lives of Ukrainians", said the press release. 

Cruiser Ukraina: sell on the cheap or dismantle for scrap

Kiev has nothing to do but to sell the cruiser formerly named Ukraina to Russia on the cheap or to dismantle for scrap, reports New Regionreferring to a source in Russian defense ministry.

According to the source, "generally, Russia doesn't need such ship". 

He explained that during construction of the cruiser in Nikolayev (Ukraine) "time frame of assembly technology was not maintained"; that could negatively affect the hull's strength and wear. 

"In addition, the cruiser has been staying idle at the shipyard's wall for a long time", underlined the Russian officer. 

Russian and Ukrainian fleets commanders took a favorable view of cooperation

Meeting on the Motherland Defenders' Day, commanders of Russian Black Sea Fleet (BSF) and Ukrainian Navy positively estimated their cooperation, reported New Sevastopol. 

BSF Commander Vice Admiral Vladimir Korolev considers that military cooperation between the two countries "dynamically develops". 

"This fact is proved by successful training (I insist, successful) of Ukrainian submariners at Russian sub and bilateral agreement to resume practical phase of annual Russian-Ukrainian naval exercise Fairway of Peace. Joint drills, exercises, crew interaction, and finally, protection of Russian and Ukrainian sea borders are main trends of our cooperative activity", said Korolev. 

Ukrainian defense minister pays working visit to Russia

Ukrainian defense minister Mikhail Yezhel arrived to Russia on Thursday, reports Russian Ministry of Defense. 

"It is planned that the minister would visit units of Western, Central, and Eastern Military Districts", said official press release of Russian defense ministry. 

At first, Yezhel will visit 5th Infantry Brigade located in Alabino, Moscow region; the base's infrastructure and training process will be shown to the minister. 

Ukrainian naval pilots held training flights over sea

Pilots of Naval Aviation Brigade (Saki, Ukraine) performed about 20 training flights over the sea on Feb 11 (see photos). 

According to brigade commander Col. Vladimir Khomenko, that was the fifth flights in 2011. Six aerial vehicles took part in the training flights – two aircrafts Be-12, and one An-26; helicopters Mi-14, Ka-27PS(search-and rescue) and Ka-27PL (antisubmarine). 

Curiously, it was the first time when pilot in command (PIC) of Mi-14 was a junior officer – 1LT Vitaly Telnykh. In addition, two lieutenants performed flights as PIC assistants of Mi-14. 

Ukrainian military official ladled out flats in Yevpatoriya, Crimea

Military procuracy of Ukrainian Navy initiated a criminal case against a director of one of the army quartering departments. He went beyond his authority and inflicted damage to the amount of UAH 2.5 mln. 

In particular, Ukrinform reports that the director of quartering department illegally issued an instruction to privatize nine flats in Yevpatoriya, Crimea. He illegally privatized another flat. 

The suspect was apprehended. Request for the preventive measure of pretrial detention was addressed to court.