Saturday, October 12, 2013
The Ukrainian Navy frigate Hetman Sagaiydachniy has joined NATO's
Operation Ocean Shield, an counter-piracy mission being conducted off
the Horn of Africa since 2009, marking the first time a partner nation
has contributed to the western military alliance's counter-piracy
effort.NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen welcomed the
contribution from Ukraine, saying: "This is the first time any partner
nation has joined this important mission.
"I warmly welcome
Ukraine's commitment. By working together, NATO and our partners are
making a real contribution to dealing with today's security threats,
including outside the Euro-Atlantic area, he added.
For the next
three months the Ukrainian frigate will be under the command of
Commodore Henning Amundsen of the Norwegian Navy, Commander of NATO's
Ocean Shield. Amundsen operates from the Alliance's flagship, the
Norwegian frigate FRIDTJOF NANSEN.
Ocean Shield also includes the
HDMS ESBEN SNARE of the Royal Danish Navy and a US Navy Frigate the USS
DE WERT. All four ships are operating together off the Horn of Africa,
deterring acts of piracy.
"We are very pleased Ukraine is
demonstrating its firm commitment to international maritime security. We
greatly welcome Ukraine's dedicated interest to interoperability with
NATO," said NATO Supreme Allied Commander (SACEUR) General Phillip
Breedlove.