From January 3, 2014 the Hetman Sagaidachny frigate of the Ukrainian Navy, with a Ka-27 helicopter and a group of special forces on board, starts participating in the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta, the department of the information policy of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine reported on January 3.
The department said that Ukrainian Armed Forces participate in the EU
NAVFOR Operation Atalanta in line with an order of the Ukrainian
president on deploying the national contingent for Ukraine’s
participation in the NATO-led Ocean Shield international anti-piracy
operation and the law on the approval of the president’s decision to
deploy the national contingent to participate in the Ocean Shield
operation and the EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta.
According to the law, up to 250 military men will be sent as a part
of Ukraine’s participation in the Ocean Shield operation for the period
until January 3, 2014 and as a part of Ukraine’s participation in the EU
NAVFOR Operation Atalanta for the period from January 3 to March 5,
2014.
The ministry said that the EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta was launched
in December 2008 as a part of the EU Comprehensive Approach to Somalia.
The national contingent’s task is to prevent piracy, protect civil
ships which are fulfilling tasks as a part of the World Food Programme
(WFP), prevent and interfere in attempts to commit piracy crimes or
armed hijacking, cooperate with countries, structures and organizations
presented in the region to fight piracy.
