The ramped up effort to help Ukraine includes a military exercise that begun Monday called "Sea Breeze," which is taking place days after Russia launched major military drills in the region involving nearly 150,000 troops, dueling shows of force that underscore the tensions between NATO and Moscow.
That tension has been further fueled in recent days as the US has accused Moscow of a wide range of activities, including cyber-attacks on organizations involved in coronavirus vaccine development and using Russian mercenaries to destabilize Libya. Reports that Russian operatives offered cash incentives to Taliban-linked militants to target US troops in Afghanistan have further highlighted the tense relationship.
On Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced sanctions against a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the leader of the Russian Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, for what Pompeo said were Kadyrov's "gross human rights violations, including torture, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances."
Some 80% of Ukraine's Navy was captured by Russia when its forces seized the Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 with Moscow later annexing the territory, leaving Kiev with only a single frigate.
Putin paid a visit to occupied Crimea Monday, touring a naval shipyard in Kerch. After observing the keel laying for a new assault ship, Putin addressed the shipyard workers, telling them that Russia "will continue to focus on a modern and combat-ready Navy, and to build ships fitted out with advanced weapons and equipment."
"The new ships will have advanced weapons, controls and communication systems. They will significantly strengthen the combat potential of the Navy and enhance its strategic capabilities," Putin said.
Ukraine rebuilding Navy from scratch
As a result of Russia's seizure of the Ukrainian fleet and naval headquarters in Crimea, Ukraine had to basically rebuild its Navy from scratch and the US has sought to help that process. The focus of that effort has been on smaller ships that operate closer to shore, giving Ukraine the ability to control its littoral waters, the near shore.
The US has provided two retired Island-class US Coast Guard cutters and new Mark VI patrol boats which are seen as ideal when it comes to operating in the shallow waters of the Sea of Azov.
A US defense official told CNN that Kiev is in the process of acquiring three more Island Class Coast Guard cutters with Ukraine's government paying for the retrofitting of the mothballed ships which are being transferred as part of the excess defense articles program.
The Pentagon recently announced plans to provide Kiev with several Mark VI patrol boats and the State department also recently approved the sale of 16 additional patrol boats to Ukraine, six of which will be paid for through a US assistance program with the remainder being purchased using Ukraine's own defense funds.
While the patrol boats come armed with remote controlled cannons, US defense officials
