Britain is trying to give Ukraine minehunters: Weapon of the week
Jan 9
By Ryan Robertson (Investigative Reporter/Anchor), Brett Baker (Senior Producer), Brian Spencer (Video Editor), Dakota Piteo (Senior Motion Designer)
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below.
Learn more about this dataLeft 48%
Center 9%
Right 44%
Bias Distribution
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Turkey blocks passage of two British minehunter ships intended for Ukraine
Click to see story on The Independent
Ukraine will not receive British minesweepers due to Turkey
Click to see story on Euronews
Turkey to block UK minehunter ships intended for Ukraine
Click to see story on EURACTIV
Turkey says UK minehunters can’t be sent to Ukraine
Click to see story on Politico Europe
Turkey says it will block the passage of mine-hunting ships sent by Britain to Ukraine
Click to see story on Hot News
Turkey to block UK minesweeper ships intended for Ukraine
Click to see story on Al-Monitor
Turkey won’t let minesweepers into Black Sea donated to Kiev by British
Click to see story on Novinky.cz
Turkey blocks passage of British minehunter ships destined for Ukraine
Click to see story on The Kyiv Independent
Turkey does not intend to allow minesweepers donated by UK to Ukraine to enter Black Sea
Click to see story on censor.net
Türkiye to block two UK minehunters en route to Ukraine from traveling through Turkish Straits
Click to see story on jurist.org
Click to close
Turkey blocks Royal Navy ships sent to Ukraine as NATO falls apart
Click to see story on Daily Express
Turkey blocks Royal Navy minehunters going to Ukraine
Click to see story on The Telegraph
Turkey to block two ex-Brit Royal Navy minehunter ships from getting to Ukraine
Click to see story on The Sun
Turkey to block minehunter ships intended for Ukraine
Click to see story on The Straits Times
NATO state won’t let UK send minesweepers to Ukraine
Click to see story on Russia Today [🇷🇺-affiliated]
Turkiye to block UK minehunter ships intended for Ukraine
Click to see story on Malay Mail
СМИ: Турция перестанет принимать иностранные суда под свой флаг
Click to see story on RIA Novosti [🇷🇺-affiliated]
Turkey prevents delivery of minesweepers to Ukraine
Click to see story on Frankfurter Allgemeine
Turkey blocks Royal Navy ships from travelling to Ukraine as Nato tensions skyrocket
Click to see story on gbnews.com
“Non passano dal Bosforo”. La Turchia blocca le navi donate da Londra all’Ucraina
Click to see story on ilgiornale.it
Click to close
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Untracked Bias
Turkey will not allow minesweeping ships from Britain to Ukraine in the Black Sea
Click to see story on ZN.UA Зеркало недели
Turkey has decided not to let in the minesweepers that Britain handed over to Ukraine
Click to see story on Korrespondent.net
Turkish government blocks access through the Straits to British minesweepers donated to Kiev
Click to see story on Observador
Turkey blocks UK minehunter ships intended for Ukraine
Click to see story on PerthNow
Turkey refuses to transit its territorial waters by two minesweepers that the British army offered to Ukraine
Click to see story on Adevarul
Blockade of minesweepers: Erdogan prevents passage of British ships for Ukraine
Click to see story on n-tv.de
Turkey: Without passing British minesweepers to the Black Sea.
Click to see story on Dnevni list Danas
Turkey refuses to let into Black Sea two minesweepers provided by London to Kiev
Click to see story on iDNES.cz
Turkey blocks minesweepers for Ukraine. Referring to international law
Click to see story on seznamzpravy.cz
Bosporus – Turkey blocks handover of minesweeping ships to Ukraine
Click to see story on Deutschlandfunk
Törökország nem engedi át az Ukrajnának küldött brit aknaszedő hajókat
Click to see story on Heti Világgazdaság
ВМС ЗСУ: Україна не подавала Туреччині запит на пропуск до Чорного моря двох мінних тральщиків
Click to see story on babel.ua
Turkey did not pass through the Bosphorus two minesweepers, which Britain handed over to Ukraine
Click to see story on liga.net
Turkey banned UK-given warships to Ukraine from entering Black Sea
Click to see story on Bulgarian Military Industry Review
Ankara ne dozvoljava minolovcima da uplove u Crno more
Click to see story on n1info.rs
Turkey will not allow ships to enter the Black Sea, which London provided to Ukraine | Českénoviny.cz
Click to see story on ceskenoviny.cz
Turkey: We did not allow the passage of minesweepers delivered by Britain to Ukraine through the strait
Click to see story on almasalah.com
Turkey decides not to allow British Navy ships to Ukraine
Click to see story on Portfolio.hu
Turkish authorities have not allowed the passage of British minesweepers donated to Ukraine
Click to see story on Defence24
The United Kingdom donated the ships to Ukraine. Blocked by Turkey
Click to see story on stefczyk.info
Turkey will not allow minesweepers Cherkasy and Chernihiv to enter the Black Sea
Click to see story on Український мілітарний портал
Click to close
44 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
44
Leaning Left
11
Center
2
Leaning Right
10
Last Updated
4 months ago
The premiere episode of Weapons & Warfare delves into the British government’s plans to give Ukraine two Royal Navy ships: Sandown class minehunters. These ships can seek, detect and destroy individual mines.
Russia has been using tanks, landmines, artillery barrages and more in its ground offensive against Ukraine. Beyond land assaults, though, Russia has been attempting to block Ukrainian access to the Black Sea, limiting its ability to export grain.
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Designed by British shipbuilder Vosper Thornycroft, only 15 Sandowns were ever made, with the first entering service in 1989. The nearly 174-foot-long ships have a 35-man crew and cruise at a top speed of 13 knots — around 15 mph.
The ships are armed with six guns but are mostly for self-defense. The armaments include a 30 millimeter rapid-fire cannon, three Browning 50 caliber miniguns and two general-purpose machine guns.
Another key tool is the SeaFox mine disposal unmanned underwater vehicle system (UUV), an underwater drone that can detect mines planted at sea. They also act as surveillance tools, helping Ukrainian sailors detect Russian submarine routes.
The promise of new sea technology comes at a time when Russia’s losses in the Black Sea are mounting. At least 17 Russian vessels were struck from February 2022 through November 2023.
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Despite Britain’s promises of new ships, Turkey is hesitant to let the ships pass through the Bosphorus Strait. The Turks want to keep the Strait from becoming a part of the theater of war.
Access the full Weapons & Warfare episode here.
Access all Weapons & Warfare podcast episodes here.
TANKS, LANDMINES, ARTILLERY BARRAGES….THE GROUND OFFENSIVE IN UKRAINE’S WAR IS AS VISUALLY STRIKING AS IT IS HORRIFIC….BUT IT’S NOT THE ONLY WAY RUSSIA AND VLADIMIR PUTIN ARE FIGHTING UKRAINE….THEY’RE ALSO TRYING TO CHOKE OFF THE COUNTRY’S GRAIN EXPORTS IN THE BLACK SEA–
A DEVASTATING MOVE FOR POTENTIALLY MILLIONS GLOBALLY.
IN JUST THE PAST FEW MONTHS UKRAINE SAYS SEA MINES, PLACED IN SHIPPING LANES BY THE RUSSIANS, DAMAGED AT LEAST THREE SHIPS, AND POSSIBLY AS MANY AS NINE. ENTER THE NAVIES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND NORWAY WITH THE MARITIME CAPABILITY COALITION.
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SAYS IT PLANS TO PROVIDE UKRAINE WITH TWO ROYAL NAVY SHIPS. SPECIFICALLY TWO SANDOWN-CLASS MINEHUNTERS.
ACCORDING TO THE BRITISH MINISTRY OF DEFENSE… THESE FIBERGLASS VESSELS ARE NEARLY 174 FEET LONG AND OPERATE AS SINGLE ROLE MINE HUNTERS RATHER THAN MINE SWEEPERS. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE CREWS OF THESE SHIPS SEEK, DETECT AND DESTROY INDIVIDUAL NAVAL MINES, WHERE MINESWEEPERS CLEAR ENTIRE AREAS WITHOUT PRIOR DETECTION OF MINES.
BUILT AND DESIGNED BY BRITISH SHIPBUILDER VOSPER THORNYCROFT, ONLY 15 SANDOWNS WERE EVER MADE. THE FIRST ENTERED SERVICE IN 1989. WITH A 35 MAN CREW, THESE SHIPS CAN CRUISE AT A TOP SPEED OF 13 KNOTS, OR ABOUT ABOUT 15 MILES AN HOUR FOR YOU LAND-LOVERS WHILE THESE SHIPS ARE ARMED WITH SIX GUNS, THEY’RE MOSTLY FOR SELF-DEFENSE. THE ARMAMENTS INCLUDE A 30mm RAPID FIRE CANNON. ALONG WITH THREE BROWNING 50 CALIBER MINIGUNS AND TWO GENERAL PURPOSE MACHINE GUNS.
BUT THE REAL STAR OF THE OPERATION IS THE SEAFOX MINE DISPOSAL UNMANNED UNDERWATER VEHICLE SYSTEM, OR U-U-V. MADE BY ATLAS ELEKTRONIK, THE SEAFOX IS AN UNDERWATER DRONE. THE SEAFOX SNIFFS OUT AND DESTROYS MINES PLANTED AT SEA. BUT THAT’S NOT ONLY ROLE FOR THESE CUNNING CREATURES.
THE UNDERWATER DRONES CAN ALSO BE USED FOR SURVEILLANCE. ENABLING UKRAINIAN SAILORS TO SURVEY RUSSIA’S STRATEGIC PORTS AND SUBMARINE ROUTES.
THE PROMISE OF THE NEW SEA TECH COMES AT A TIME WHEN RUSSIA’S LOSSES IN THE BLACK SEA ARE ALSO MOUNTING. FROM THE START OF RUSSIA’S INVASION OF UKRAINE IN FEBRUARY OF 2022 THROUGH NOVEMBER OF 2023, AT LEAST 17 RUSSIAN VESSELS WERE STRUCK.
UNFORTUNATELY, JUST BECAUSE BRITAIN WANTS TO GIVE UKRAINE THE SHIPS DOESN’T MEAN UKRAINE CAN ACTUALLY GET THEM. TURKEY IS DRAGGING ITS HEELS ON LETTING THE VESSELS PASS THROUGH THE BOSPORUS STRAIGHT. TURKEY SAYS IT WANTS TO KEEP THE STRAIGHT FROM BECOMING A PART OF THE THEATER OF WAR.
WHILE THIS ISN’T GREAT NEWS FOR UKRAINE, IT ALSO MEANS RUSSIA CAN’T SAIL ANY WARSHIPS THROUGH THE STRAIT EITHER.
Related
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below.
Learn more about this dataLeft 48%
Center 9%
Right 44%
Bias Distribution
Left
+0
Click to close
Turkey blocks passage of two British minehunter ships intended for Ukraine
Click to see story on The Independent
Ukraine will not receive British minesweepers due to Turkey
Click to see story on Euronews
Turkey to block UK minehunter ships intended for Ukraine
Click to see story on EURACTIV
Turkey says UK minehunters can’t be sent to Ukraine
Click to see story on Politico Europe
Turkey says it will block the passage of mine-hunting ships sent by Britain to Ukraine
Click to see story on Hot News
Turkey to block UK minesweeper ships intended for Ukraine
Click to see story on Al-Monitor
Turkey won’t let minesweepers into Black Sea donated to Kiev by British
Click to see story on Novinky.cz
Turkey blocks passage of British minehunter ships destined for Ukraine
Click to see story on The Kyiv Independent
Turkey does not intend to allow minesweepers donated by UK to Ukraine to enter Black Sea
Click to see story on censor.net
Türkiye to block two UK minehunters en route to Ukraine from traveling through Turkish Straits
Click to see story on jurist.org
Click to close
Turkey blocks Royal Navy ships sent to Ukraine as NATO falls apart
Click to see story on Daily Express
Turkey blocks Royal Navy minehunters going to Ukraine
Click to see story on The Telegraph
Turkey to block two ex-Brit Royal Navy minehunter ships from getting to Ukraine
Click to see story on The Sun
Turkey to block minehunter ships intended for Ukraine
Click to see story on The Straits Times
NATO state won’t let UK send minesweepers to Ukraine
Click to see story on Russia Today [🇷🇺-affiliated]
Turkiye to block UK minehunter ships intended for Ukraine
Click to see story on Malay Mail
СМИ: Турция перестанет принимать иностранные суда под свой флаг
Click to see story on RIA Novosti [🇷🇺-affiliated]
Turkey prevents delivery of minesweepers to Ukraine
Click to see story on Frankfurter Allgemeine
Turkey blocks Royal Navy ships from travelling to Ukraine as Nato tensions skyrocket
Click to see story on gbnews.com
“Non passano dal Bosforo”. La Turchia blocca le navi donate da Londra all’Ucraina
Click to see story on ilgiornale.it
Click to close
Right
+0
Click to close
Far
Right
+0
Click to close
Untracked Bias
Turkey will not allow minesweeping ships from Britain to Ukraine in the Black Sea
Click to see story on ZN.UA Зеркало недели
Turkey has decided not to let in the minesweepers that Britain handed over to Ukraine
Click to see story on Korrespondent.net
Turkish government blocks access through the Straits to British minesweepers donated to Kiev
Click to see story on Observador
Turkey blocks UK minehunter ships intended for Ukraine
Click to see story on PerthNow
Turkey refuses to transit its territorial waters by two minesweepers that the British army offered to Ukraine
Click to see story on Adevarul
Blockade of minesweepers: Erdogan prevents passage of British ships for Ukraine
Click to see story on n-tv.de
Turkey: Without passing British minesweepers to the Black Sea.
Click to see story on Dnevni list Danas
Turkey refuses to let into Black Sea two minesweepers provided by London to Kiev
Click to see story on iDNES.cz
Turkey blocks minesweepers for Ukraine. Referring to international law
Click to see story on seznamzpravy.cz
Bosporus – Turkey blocks handover of minesweeping ships to Ukraine
Click to see story on Deutschlandfunk
Törökország nem engedi át az Ukrajnának küldött brit aknaszedő hajókat
Click to see story on Heti Világgazdaság
ВМС ЗСУ: Україна не подавала Туреччині запит на пропуск до Чорного моря двох мінних тральщиків
Click to see story on babel.ua
Turkey did not pass through the Bosphorus two minesweepers, which Britain handed over to Ukraine
Click to see story on liga.net
Turkey banned UK-given warships to Ukraine from entering Black Sea
Click to see story on Bulgarian Military Industry Review
Ankara ne dozvoljava minolovcima da uplove u Crno more
Click to see story on n1info.rs
Turkey will not allow ships to enter the Black Sea, which London provided to Ukraine | Českénoviny.cz
Click to see story on ceskenoviny.cz
Turkey: We did not allow the passage of minesweepers delivered by Britain to Ukraine through the strait
Click to see story on almasalah.com
Turkey decides not to allow British Navy ships to Ukraine
Click to see story on Portfolio.hu
Turkish authorities have not allowed the passage of British minesweepers donated to Ukraine
Click to see story on Defence24
The United Kingdom donated the ships to Ukraine. Blocked by Turkey
Click to see story on stefczyk.info
Turkey will not allow minesweepers Cherkasy and Chernihiv to enter the Black Sea
Click to see story on Український мілітарний портал
Click to close
44 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
44
Leaning Left
11
Center
2
Leaning Right
10
Last Updated
4 months ago
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