Ukraine and Denmark are developing a project to escort ships in the Black Sea using various types of drones to protect them from Russian attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this during a media appearance with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Denmark.
“The Black Sea is currently blocked. Ensuring the safe passage of ships is extremely important for agriculture,” Zelensky said. According to him, Russia is using drones against vessels, including Iranian-made ones, as well as various types of missiles.
The Ukrainian president said that Russian attacks threaten ships regardless of the country whose flag they sail under. He did not specify when the project would be implemented in practice, nor did he reveal details about the number and specific models of drones to be used.
New military aid package from Denmark
The announced cooperation comes against the backdrop of new support for Kyiv from Copenhagen. On November 10, Denmark announced a military aid package worth 4.8 billion Danish kroner, or approximately 643 million euros. Most of the funds are intended for air defense, while the package also includes financing for drones, ammunition for F-16 fighter jets and other defense capabilities.
During their talks, Zelensky and Frederiksen also discussed the development of joint production. Denmark is already financing the purchase of Ukrainian unmanned systems under the bilateral drone agreement.
Unmanned systems and maritime security
During his visit to Denmark, Zelensky was due to inspect a 13-meter unmanned boat developed by Copenhagen Group. The system can detect targets at sea and is part of a demonstration of Danish defense technologies.
Zelensky also announced that Ukraine and European partners are working on an anti-ballistic system. He expressed hope that the first tests of the new European missile defense technology would take place during the winter.
For now, Kyiv and Copenhagen have not presented a public timetable for the project to escort ships with drones. It has also not been specified whether the system will be intended solely for surveillance and early warning, or whether it will include means of intercepting drones and missiles.
Sources: ukrinform.net, cphpost.dk, defencenordic.com