Hetman Sahaidachny frigate joins EU Atalanta counter-piracy operation

03.01.2014 13:53

Ukrinform

Ukraine’s Navy frigate Hetman Sahaydachny on January 3 has joined the EU Atalanta counter-piracy operation (EU NAVFOR – Operation ATALANTA) off the coast of Somalia, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s press office told Ukrinform on Friday.

KYIV, January 3 /Ukrinform/. Ukraine’s Navy frigate Hetman Sahaydachny on January 3 has joined the EU Atalanta counter-piracy operation (EU NAVFOR – Operation ATALANTA) off the coast of Somalia, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s press office told Ukrinform on Friday.

“On January 3, 2014 the Ukrainian Navy frigate Hetman Sahaidachny with the helicopter Ka-27 and a special operations unit begins its participation in the European Union’s Atalanta counter-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia," a report reads.

The ministry recalled that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are involved in the EU NAVFOR - Operation Atlanta in accordance with the president’s decree No. 530/2013 "On sending the national contingent for Ukraine's participation in the Operation Ocean Shield and the EU NAVFOR - Operation Atlanta” and the law No. 617- VII "On the approval of the decision of the President of Ukraine on sending the national contingent for Ukraine's participation in the Operation Ocean Shield and EU NAVFOR - Operation Atlanta".

The law provides for sending the national contingent totaling up to 250 military for Ukraine's participation in the Operation Ocean Shield for the period up to January 3, 2014, as well as Ukraine's participation in the EU NAVFOR - Operation Atlanta for the period from January 3 to March 5, 2014.

EU NAVFOR - Operation Atlanta started in December 2008 within the framework of the European Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and in accordance with relevant UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) and International Law. The mission of the EU NAVFOR - Operation Atlanta is the protection of vessels of the World Food Programme (WFP) delivering food aid to displaced persons in Somalia; the protection of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) shipping; the deterrence, prevention and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast; the protection of vulnerable shipping off the Somali coast on a case by case basis; in addition, EU NAVFOR – ATALANTA shall also contribute to the monitoring of fishing activities off the coast of Somalia.

The composition of EU NAVFOR changes constantly due to the frequent rotation of units and varies according to the Monsoon seasons in the Indian Ocean. However, it typically comprises 4 – 7 Surface Combat Vessels and 2 – 3 Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft. Including land-based personnel, EU NAVFOR consists of around 1,500 military personnel. EU NAVFOR ATALANTA operates in a mission area covering an area from the south of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Western part of the Indian Ocean including theSeychelles. The area of Operation also includes Somali coastal territory as well as its territorial and internal waters. This represents an area of 2,000,000 square nautical miles (almost 4,000,000 square kilometres or the equivalent to 30 times the size of England, 10 times the size of Germany, or 7 times the size of France or Spain). The task of the national contingent in the operations is prevention and counteraction of piracy, protection of civilian vessels carrying out tasks in the framework of the World Food Programme (WFP), prevention and intervention in attempts to carry out acts of piracy or armed robbery, collaboration with countries, institutions and organizations present in the region to combat piracy.