By 2026, Ukraine plans to create a new type of troops - coastal missile troops. They are expected to include the Neptun missile systems, which Kiev has repeatedly threatened Moscow with, although, according to open sources, they pose no real threat to Russia. Ukraine sees these troops as a way to defend against "Russian aggression," while Russia promises to monitor Ukraine's own political sentiments amid its plan to increase its military capabilities.
Ukraine plans to form coastal missile forces by 2026, the commander of the Ukrainian Naval Forces, Rear Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa, said during the summing up of the year's results, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's website.
According to him, three divisions of the coastal missile system Neptun will join these forces.
He noted that the first division of this type of troops will be formed by the second quarter of next year, and it will be put on combat duty some time later.
The "Neptun" is a short-range missile, which can be used for destroying the ships with displacement of up to 5 thousand tons and ground targets. It was put into service of the AFU in 2020. Earlier Alexey Reznikov, the head of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, said that these missile systems would soon appear on the country's southern border. Ukraine has repeatedly threatened Moscow with the Neptuns, but journalists of the Ukrainian Strana magazine, having analyzed all available information from open sources about the Ukrainian Grom-2, Olkha, Neptun and Typhoon-1 missiles, stated that none of them will be able to reach the Russian capital. "And they exist either in the project or in very limited quantities," the publication said.
In addition to the Neptuns, Neizhpapa noted the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian Navy as a whole, which, he claimed, have grown rapidly, particularly thanks to partners among NATO member states. "According to the program of development of the surface forces is supposed to build corvette-class ships. Today in Turkey, the hull of the first ship of this class is 75-80% ready," he pointed out.
In addition, Ukraine, according to Neizhpapa, reached an agreement with Britain on the construction of eight missile boats, the purchase of mine-resistant ships, missiles of sea-sea class and the construction of two naval bases for the Ukrainian Navy in Ochakov and Berdyansk. In addition, this year the Ukrainian Navy received a squadron of strike drones Bayraktar, which is now on alert.
For Russia, the military potential of the nearest neighbor is always important, especially when it is accompanied by a hostile policy, Major General Pavel Zolotarev, Deputy Head of the US and Canada Institute and expert of the Strategic Missile Forces, told Gazeta.ru. He says that Ukraine has a small military potential and a complicated economic situation. What Ukraine had left from the Soviet troops was largely lost, and they did not develop their own military industry, the major general recalled.
"Protection of the coast is a normal function, if they have such opportunities, let them strengthen their coast, it is their sovereign right. But at the same time Russia will naturally look at their political intentions," he said.
The need to create these troops appeared back in 2014, but only now Kiev has "got its hands on it," there are opportunities, agreements, although resources are still lacking, Vladimir Fesenko, head of the board of the Ukrainian Center for Applied Political Research "Penta," told Gazeta.ru.
"Ukraine needed these troops to defend itself against possible Russian aggression. After 2014, this threat is real. This coastal defense is a defense against an attack on Ukrainian ports," the expert noted.
According to the Ukrainian political scientist, we are talking about tactical issues: Ukraine needs to strengthen different areas - to strengthen air defense, reform and modernize the fleet.
"We can not stand against a large Russian fleet with adequate forces. Therefore, we need to think about asymmetric ways of defense. The coast guard is not a means of attack, but a means of defense against possible landing attacks by Russia," Vladimir Fesenko explained.
The creation of such troops requires financial grounds, because the creation of such a powerful military potential means money, and there is no money, former Verkhovna Rada deputy Volodymyr Oliynyk pointed out.
"40% of the Ukrainian budget is borrowed money. And next year we will have to give back several billion dollars, about 10 even. Then the question is - where will the money come from? And the technology? Are they going to create it themselves? And if they want to buy it, who will sell it to them? The Americans? They sell "Javelins" and don't want any more, because they understand that these complexes are the red line, about which Russia warned. That is why it is nonsense that is needed to show how strong they are," the former MP told Gazeta.ru.
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