On April 29, 1918, the ships of the Black Sea Fleet and the Sevastopol Fortress raised Ukrainian flags as sailors officially recognized their affiliation with the UPR. This happened after the soldiers of the Crimean Group of the UPR Army under the command of Petro Bolbochan liberated Crimea from the Bolsheviks in April 1918.

After heated discussions and the decision of the majority of ship crews, the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Rear Admiral Mikhail Sablin, issued an order: “All ships, port property and fortifications on the coast are the property of the Ukrainian People’s Republic. Therefore, I order to raise Ukrainian flags wherever necessary.”

During the armed invasion and the beginning of the occupation of Crimea, Ukrainian ships did not lower the national flag to the last, demonstrating resistance, resilience and loyalty to Ukraine.

After the de-occupation, Ukrainian sailors will again raise blue and yellow flags in all the bays of the Crimean peninsula, demonstrating that Ukraine has survived and won!