Ukraine proudly celebrates Ukrainian Navy Day on the first Sunday of July. The inaugural Ukrainian Navy Day was celebrated in Sevastopol on August 1, 1997, when former ships of the USSR Black Sea Fleet, incorporated into the Ukrainian Navy, solemnly raised the naval flags of Ukraine. Since 2015, this important day has been observed on the first Sunday of July.

The history of Ukraine’s fleet dates back to 1918, when the national flag was raised over the ships of the Ukrainian National Republic on April 29. Notably, the first Ukrainian flags flew over Sevastopol in 1917. The rich millennial prehistory of the fleet includes significant events such as the naval campaign of Prince Oleg to Constantinople in 907, the naval campaigns of the Cossacks, particularly under the leadership of Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi, and many others.

The revival of the fleet in the early 1990s marked another crucial chapter. This period included the establishment of the Ukrainian Navy in Sevastopol in April 1992, the rebellion of the guard ship SKR-112 and its transfer from the Black Sea Fleet to Odesa, and the first large-scale tactical training exercise of the Ukrainian Navy, Sea-96, in 1996.

The resilience of Ukrainian sailors during the 2014 occupation of Crimea is particularly noteworthy. In the early days of the occupation, all ships and coastal facilities of the Ukrainian Navy were blocked by Russian troops. Despite this, Ukrainian sailors, marines, and pilots demonstrated loyalty to their country, boldly and carefully withdrawing naval units from under the occupiers’ noses. This equipment continues to resist the occupiers effectively.

To commemorate today’s holiday, we recommend watching the documentary “Crimea as It Was” (2016) and the feature film “Cherkasy” (2019), which tell the stories of sailors and navy pilots who remained true to their oath and resisted the occupiers despite being surrounded, attacked, threatened, and blackmailed.

Since 2014, the Ukrainian Navy has undergone significant modernization, including the adoption of a new system of ship classification according to NATO standards, the approval of the Strategy of Ukrainian Navy Development till 2035, participation in large-scale international exercises, and the acquisition of new naval, air, and armored vehicles.

Ukraine continues to grow stronger each day, reaffirming its status as a maritime power and successfully defending its land and sea from invaders. We believe in the imminent de-occupation of the peninsula and the return of our fleet to its native Crimean ports.

We drove the invaders off Zmiinyi Island, and we will drive them off the Crimean Peninsula!

Happy Ukrainian Navy Day!

Glory to Ukraine!