Fearing new Russian threat, Ukraine races to upgrade its navy

The menace, the officer and lots of of Ukraine's allies imagine, comes from Russia.

"We do know the playbook of trying to cite some illusory provocation from Ukraine or any other country and then using that as an excuse to do what Russia's planning to do all along."The Kremlin has responded by accusing western international locations of "hysteria" about Russia invading Ukraine.

Strait jacket

With tensions excessive within the area, CNN joined the Ukrainian navy vessel departing from Berdyansk on Ukraine's Azov shoreline. Usually, Commander Ovchar's crew comes throughout six or seven Russian coast guard patrol boats, he says, however on this mission, there have been none.The sea he is patrolling borders Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Moscow following a controversial referendum in 2014, in violation of worldwide legislation.Since seizing Crimea, Russia has constructed a bridge linking it to its personal territory. The Kerch Bridge over the Kerch Strait serves as the one direct connection between Russia and Crimea -- and provides Moscow de facto management of the ocean's entry to the Black Sea and Mediterranean past.But Ukraine has a plan to attempt to hold Moscow from taking full management of the physique of water that {links} Ukraine's two greatest ports, Berdyansk and Mariupol.Ukraine's new Defense Minister, Oleksiy Reznikov, introduced November 13 that the tempo of constructing a new naval port in Berdyansk was to be elevated. On Tuesday, CNN gained unique entry to the "Sehid" or "East" base beneath development.It was instantly clear that loads of work nonetheless wanted to be completed for this base to be wherever close to completion.

The intention was to full the primary section of development -- new dwelling quarters, administrative buildings and a small medical facility on the positioning of a disused tin manufacturing facility -- by the top of 12 months. However, with lower than six weeks to go, there was not even a roof on the principle constructing.A particular detachment of navy builders toiled with masonry, slapping on cement and laying bricks, a Ukrainian flag billowing as they labored.The scale of the duty at hand grew to become even starker as we walked down onto the port, joined to a business port.

"This will be the position of the docks," Capt. 2nd Class Alexander Serdiyk mentioned, pointing to heaps of warped steel and boulders mendacity haphazardly within the sea. "We plan to have this section completed in two years."But Ukraine might not have two years to put together for battle.

The Kremlin has repeatedly mentioned it has no plans to invade Ukraine. "The American and Ukrainian media claim that Russia is preparing for an attack on Ukraine, and we are saying that Ukraine is planning hostilities against Donbas, against the self-proclaimed republics of Luhansk and Donetsk," Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Putin, mentioned Tuesday. "We are deeply concerned about the provocative actions of the Ukrainian armed forces on the line of contact and preparations for an attempt to forcefully resolve the Donbas issue." Ukraine's allies have begun responding to what they see as a contemporary menace from its neighbor to the east.

The US can also be contemplating sanctions with European allies if Russia invades Ukraine.

Last week, British Defence Minister Ben Wallace visited Ukraine and signed an settlement to "develop the capabilities of the naval forces of Ukraine." CNN discovered Tuesday that a part of the deal will deal with Berdyansk.The similar day, the Ukrainian navy introduced the arrival of two "Island-type" boats named "Fastiv" and "Sumy," delivered from Baltimore within the United States to Odessa in Ukraine."Soon the boats will raise the Ukrainian navy flag and under the command of Ukrainian crews they will begin their combat journey to ensure maritime safety in the Black and Azov seas," Admiral Alexey Neizhpapa mentioned.The greater query is whether or not new Ukrainian ships and infrastructure, plus warnings from the West, will likely be sufficient of a deterrent.