Ukraine vows to take back the Black Sea with foreign weapons

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Alexey Reznikov said on May 28 that Kiev “will still win” in the conflict with Russia. Like other Ukrainian officials, Mr. Reznikov pinned his hopes on foreign-supplied weapons, especially Danish-supplied Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

In a long post on Facebook on May 28, Mr. Reznikov thanked several countries for helping to add 155mm artillery shells to Ukraine, and praised the US for the batch of M777 155mm cannons and more than 100 drones of all kinds. which Washington recently transferred to Kiev.

“I would like to announce that the coastal defense of our country will not be enhanced only by Harpoon missiles,” Reznikov said.

The Boeing-made RGM-84 Harpoon is the US Navy’s standard anti-ship missile, with an estimated range of 300km.

It has active radar guidance and glides over the water until it reaches its target. At that point, the Harpoon missile can make a bounce and hit the target from above.

The launchers are usually launched from surface ships or attack aircraft, but the launchers can also be removed from ships for use ashore.

“I am confident that the Harpoons and Neptunes missile pair will help us liberate and make the Black Sea safe again, and reliably defend Odessa,” Reznikov said. The “Neptunes” mentioned by Mr. Reznikov is a cruise missile manufactured by Ukraine. Kiev claims that Neptunes used it to attack a Russian warship in April. Moscow has not confirmed these claims.

Reznikov is not the first Ukrainian official to make bold claims about retaking the Black Sea, which has been mostly under the control of the Russian Navy since the beginning of the conflict.

After receiving the Danish Harpoon missile, Ukraine’s Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko also revealed that the US was “preparing a plan to destroy the Black Sea Fleet” of Russia, but the Pentagon immediately denied it. ie.

An earlier attempt by Ukraine to retake Snake Island – an outpost in the Black Sea now under Russian control. Russia said that the attack on the island earlier this month cost Ukraine 30 drones, 14 aircraft and three military ships.