Ukraine’s deputy Foreign Minister and former Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk has called on Germany to supply a HDW Class 212A submarine by ThyssenKrupp to Ukraine. According to him, the Bundeswehr has six such submarines; only one can “kick the Russian fleet out of the Black Sea.”
“It is not wishful thinking, but my personal experience. As consul-general in Hamburg, I was on board U 212A at the marine base Eckernförde in 2008. Really huge! One admiral told me: you just need ONE sub to keep the Russian Black Sea fleet in check,” Melnyk tweeted.
https://twitter.com/MelnykAndrij/status/1619386522868006912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1619386522868006912%7Ctwgr%5E5970c459a1f62c1d19fa2bc9c3834e32822f052f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feuromaidanpress.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost-new.php
US Navy veteran and nuclear submarine officer John Mues commented that this is a “brilliant” idea. “As a former NATO post-command exercise manager, I can attest no asset disrupts better than a submarine. I would also look at Sweden’s AIP or even Ula subs,” he wrote, adding that another outcome of Ukraine having a submarine in the Black Sea is that it would minimize Russian naval transit through the Dardanelles/Bosporous straits, if Türkiye would at some time allow their passage.
As a former nuclear submarine officer who has spent plenty of time on diesel submarines as well, I THINK IT IS BRILLIANT IDEA. As a former NATO post-command exercise mgr, can attest no asset disrupts better than a submarine. I would also look at Sweden’s AIP or even Ula subs.
— John Mues (@MuesforMontana) January 28, 2023
Apart from submarines, Melnyk called on Germany to supply more naval assets such as decommissioned frigate Lübeck or Sea Sparrow and Harpoon missiles.
https://twitter.com/MelnykAndrij/status/1619616003633348608
Recently, Germany adopted a much-awaited decision to supply Leopard-2 tanks to Ukraine, following months of requests from Ukraine to be supplied heavy battle tanks.
Germany’s Leopard tanks will arrive in Ukraine in 3–4 months
