Netherlands to Donate Assault Boats to Ukraine

The Netherlands is set to provide fast and highly maneuverable rubber and patrol boats, as well as assault craft, to Ukraine.

Additionally, the Netherlands will contribute €250 million to the Czech initiative to order a large number of artillery shells for Ukraine in the short term. This information was reported by the government in a letter to the House of Representatives.

The delivery includes 14 rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs), 8 militarized river patrol boats, and CB90 assault craft. Some of these watercraft will be supplied from Defence's own inventory, while others will be sourced from the industry.

This development comes amidst reports of several Ukrainian special forces soldiers and their specialized boats being destroyed in a Russian ambush in Crimea.

On February 29, Ukraine's 73rd Naval Center of Maritime Special Operations faced a significant setback in the ongoing war. Russian sources asserted that the commandos attempting a beach landing were shot down, resulting in a major loss for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The clash occurred near Tenderovsky Island on the Crimean Peninsula's southeast coast, with Russian shore defenders claiming victory after ambushing and killing nearly two dozen highly trained Ukrainian special operations troops from the 73rd unit. The engagement involved five small boats, and after a brief battle, three landing craft were sunk, leading to the death of at least 20 Ukrainian special operators.