Ukraine has a long maritime history, and Ukrainian sailors have always played a vital role in defending our state. On this day, we honor those who have dedicated themselves to naval service, from Cossack campaigns to the ongoing war. It is a story of resilience, professionalism, and the fight for freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The history of the Ukrainian navy dates back long before the establishment of the modern Naval Forces. As early as the 16th\u201317th centuries, the Zaporizhian Cossacks launched sea campaigns that became a key part of Ukraine\u2019s military legacy. Their boats, known as \u201cchaikas,\u201d reached the shores of the Ottoman Empire, carrying out surprise raids and freeing captives. One of the most famous campaigns was the 1616 expedition led by Petro Sahaidachnyi, during which the Cossacks defeated the Turkish fleet near Sinop and liberated prisoners in Kaffa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the destruction of the Zaporizhian Sich in 1775, the tradition of the Ukrainian navy was interrupted \u2014 Cossack naval forces ceased to exist as a separate structure. In 1917, the crew of the destroyer\u00a0Zavydnyi<\/em>\u00a0was among the first to raise the Ukrainian flag, and later that year, the Ministry of Naval Affairs of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UNR) was established. Despite these efforts, instability and foreign interference prevented the full realization of these plans. By 1918, most Ukrainian ships had come under the control of other forces. Some vessels were interned or absorbed into foreign fleets, making it impossible to fully form a national navy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The true revival of the Ukrainian Navy began after Ukraine declared independence. In January 1992, President Leonid Kravchuk called on the sailors of the Black Sea Fleet to swear allegiance to Ukraine, and the first naval units responded to this call. On April 5 of the same year, a presidential decree established the Ukrainian Navy, marking the beginning of a new era for the fleet of an independent state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On August 24, 1996, the first naval parade in honor of Independence Day took place in Sevastopol, and on August 1, 1997, Ukraine celebrated its Navy Day for the first time. The fleet was gradually strengthening: new ships and boats were commissioned, and marine infantry units, coastal defense forces, aviation, and special operations units were formed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From 2006 to 2011, Navy Day was celebrated on the first Sunday of July. The last major parade of the Ukrainian Navy before the occupation of Crimea took place in Sevastopol on July 28, 2013. Less than a year later, Ukrainian sailors faced one of the toughest trials in modern history \u2014 Russia\u2019s full-scale operation to seize Crimea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In February\u2013March 2014, Ukrainian military units on the peninsula were blockaded. Despite pressure, betrayal by some commanders, and a lack of clear orders, thousands of sailors remained loyal to their oath. It was during this time that one of the first Ukrainian servicemen to die in the war was killed \u2014 Senior Warrant Officer Serhii Kokurin. He was shot dead on March 18, 2014, during an armed assault on the 13th Photogrammetric Center in Simferopol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a result of the occupation, over 80% of Ukraine\u2019s ships, equipment, and naval infrastructure were seized or destroyed. Some vessels, including the frigate\u00a0Hetman Sahaidachnyi<\/em>, were successfully relocated to Odesa and Ochakiv \u2014 where the Navy’s revival began. Under extremely challenging conditions, new units were formed, coastal defense systems were rebuilt, and a modern marine corps was established. Sailors, alongside volunteers and local authorities, played a key role in stabilizing the situation in the south, particularly in Mykolaiv and Odesa regions. By the autumn of that same year, Navy marines were already engaged in combat in eastern Ukraine, proving their resilience and professionalism in the face of a new kind of warfare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once again \u2014 the front line. With the onset of Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine\u2019s Navy adapted swiftly to the new reality. Small boats, drones,\u00a0Neptune<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Olkha<\/em>\u00a0missiles, naval drones \u2014 Ukrainian sailors have skillfully employed modern asymmetric warfare tools. In the early days of the war, the Navy, together with border guards, successfully repelled a naval landing near Mariupol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n April 2022: the missile cruiser\u00a0Moskva<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 flagship of Russia\u2019s Black Sea Fleet \u2014 sinks after being struck by Ukrainian coastal missiles. Once a symbol of Russian dominance in the Black Sea, it has become a symbol of their downfall. On 24 March 2022, Ukrainian forces destroyed the landing ship\u00a0Saratov<\/em>\u00a0in the port of Berdiansk. Footage of the burning vessel spread across the world, becoming a new icon of resistance. Ukrainian sailors have proven that even without a large navy, it is possible to shift the course of war through intelligence, courage, and cutting-edge technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even without numerical or combat superiority, the Ukrainian Navy has destroyed dozens of Russian vessels, forcing the Russian Black Sea Fleet to keep its distance from the Ukrainian coastline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, the Ukrainian Navy is undergoing a revival. This renewal is not only about equipment, but about people \u2014 those loyal to their oath, determined, and free. Those who did not abandon their flag in Crimea, who stood their ground near Mariupol, who launched drones into the waters of the Black Sea. Those who continue to fight for every meter of land, for every mile of sea.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":74764,"template":"","publication-type":[43],"class_list":["post-74783","press-center","type-press-center","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","publication-type-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n