During his working visit to the Republic of Turkey, President Volodymyr Zelensky visited shipyards where corvettes for the Ukrainian Naval Forces are being built in accordance with the Strategy for the Development of the Naval Forces of Ukraine's Armed Forces until 2036.
The Head of State inspected the readiness level and equipment of the Ivan Mazepa corvette, its technical characteristics, and capabilities. This anti-submarine corvette of the Ada class is intended to become the future flagship of the Ukrainian Navy.
On board the ship, the President met and spoke to the Ukrainian Navy personnel undergoing training how to operate and maintain the vessel's systems. Zelensky thanked them for their service.
"Thank you for your service, for the fact that Ukraine is highly respected here. You know that we are expecting you in Ukraine. So that our Security and Defense Forces become even stronger," said the Head of State.
The President awarded two military personnel with the medals "To the Defender of the Motherland," recognizing their selfless actions in defending Ukraine's state sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as exemplary performance of military duty.
Zelensky also studied the progress of the construction of the Ada class corvette, which today was named after Hetman Ivan Vyhovskyi by the President's decree, and which is also intended to strengthen our naval fleet.
The head of the Ukrainian state expressed gratitude to all involved in building such warships.
"I am extremely grateful for the partnership to President ErdoÄŸan of Turkey and to all defense companies of Türkiye and Ukraine, for working together to bring peace for Ukraine closer," he said.
Ada class corvettes are modern coastal zone ships capable of anti-submarine operations and open sea patrolling, with a wide use of stealth technology principles in their design. The design and combat application concept of Ada class corvettes is similar to the concept of littoral combat ships of the Freedom class developed by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Navy. Ada class corvettes have more powerful armament, radar, and sonar systems.
Construction of the Ivan Mazepa corvette began in April 2021. In September 2023, a solemn keel-laying ceremony took place. It was planned that the corvette would be transferred to Ukraine in 2022, and by 2024, it would have entered service with the Ukrainian Navy. However, due to the war initiated by Russia against Ukraine, the transfer of the corvette was postponed.
