President Viktor Yanukovych has congratulated employees, veterans of the sea and river fleets and military of the Ukrainian Navy on the Ukrainian Fleet Day.
"The Ukrainian Navy should be a powerful factor for economic and political stability in Ukraine," the head of state said in a letter of congratulations posted on his official Web site on Sunday.
Yanukovych stressed the importance of building modern military and civilian fleets, ensuring the protection of the country’s maritime borders and effective development of international trade.
"I am confident that together we will restore the naval branch of the state, and the sailors will have modern ships and weapons," reads the statement.
In accordance with a presidential decree, the Ukrainian Fleet Day (a professional holiday of not only military sailors, but also the sailors of the maritime and river fleets) is marked annually on the first Sunday of July.
