Ukrainian naval commander said his navy would gladly take charge of 2 British warships set to be retired

• Ukraine would take two UK warships that are reportedly being decommissioned, its navy chief said.
• He said Ukraine needs warships to repel Russian attacks.

The head of Ukraine's navy said he would gladly take charge of two British warships that will reportedly be retired this year as the UK does not have enough sailors to man them.

A report in the UK's Telegraph newspaper earlier this month said that the Royal Navy is so short of sailors that it needs to decommission two warships to be able to staff its new class of frigates.

The report added that the ships will be decommissioned later this year.

Vice Adm. Oleksiy Neizhpapa told Sky News that Ukraine would gladly take the ships.

"The Navy needs warships, because we understand that there is no navy without ships," he said, adding: "This is why, if such a decision is taken, concerning the possibility of handing over two frigates to the [Ukrainian] Navy, we will be very happy."

Neizhpapa said Ukraine needs more ships and weapons to ensure a peaceful future for Ukraine.

He also told Sky News said Ukraine needs ships to stop Russia's navy from being able to attack Ukraine, and to protect areas so that ships can access Ukrainian ports.

"We must have the capabilities to make sure that Russia will give up forever the thought of even looking in Ukraine's direction, including at sea," he added.

The UK has been one of Ukraine's biggest backers since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, training Ukrainian soldiers and providing advanced weaponry like long-range missiles and tanks.

The UK has also promised Ukraine two minehunter ships, and has trained Ukrainian crews on how to operate them, though questions remain over how the ships will get to the Black Sea.

Ukraine has targeted Russia's naval capabilities during the war, hitting warships and other vessels in the Black Sea, notably around Crimea, a Ukrainian region Russia annexed in 2014.

It doesn't have a big navy, or any warships. Instead, it has targeted Russia's vessels with daring commando raids, missiles, and sea drones.

The efforts have destroyed at least 24 Russian warships and vessels, Sky News reported.

This includes Russia's Moskva warship, which became a symbol of Ukraine's ability to fight back against Russia.

Neizhpapa said that its sinking "achieved a military goal, but also a political one."

"At that moment, Ukraine understood that Moscow can be defeated," he said.

Russia, meanwhile, has used its navy to frustrate Ukrainian trade and to launch missile attacks across Ukraine.

But Ukraine's attacks have prompted Russia to move parts of its fleet away from its Black Sea base in Sevastopol, Crimea.