Ukrainian Navy's Frigate Breaks Down After Expensive Repairs

Ukraine military prosecutors have appealed court claiming recovery of US$25,000 as the country’s flagship frigate Hetman Sahaydachniy broke down immediately after undergoing expensive repairs.

Military prosecutors in southern Ukraine have initiated a lawsuit against a contractor in the port city of Mykolaiv, Sputnik news reported Friday.

The Hetman Sahaydachniy had undergone repairs last week. The Defense Ministry was reported to have allocated a total of 14.5 million hryvnia (about $550,000 US) for the repair work.

The company had been entrusted to repair the frigate's diesel engine propulsion system. However, the engine broke down shortly after repairs were said to have been completed.

The company has failed to fulfil its obligations, and to deal with the engine defects under warranty in the agreed-upon timeframe, persecutor said.

"Taking into account the possible negative consequences for the combat readiness of the Ukrainian Navy, and with the aim of rectifying the legal violations, the military prosecutor's office has appealed to the court with a claim for the recovery of punitive damages…in the amount of 668,000 hryvnia [$25,000 US]," a press statement on the General Prosecutor's Office.

“All the signs point to officials having simply stolen the money allotted for repair work.” military observer Alexander Perendzhiev said.

Russian security and military expert Alexander Perendzhiev, an associate professor at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics that in normal practice, when a ship is accepted back into the Navy following repairs, it undergoes readiness checks, and tests to check the quality of repairs.

Unfortunately in Ukraine today this concept either no longer exists, or exists only formally. “I believe that this case seriously stinks of the theft of funds." He added.