Ukrainian Experience Can Help Unblock Strategic Straits

• 28.04.2026, 10:29

Details.

Ukrainian experience can help in unblocking strategic sea arteries for global shipping, using the knowledge gained in 2022.

According to RBC-Ukraine.

New crises in Bab-el-Mandeb or Malacca may arise sooner or later. Not to mention the Strait of Hormuz, where full-fledged shipping has still not been restored. However, the main question is not where the next aggravation will occur, but what to do about it.

In this case, Ukraine can offer the world a unique experience, because it went through Russia's naval blockade in 2022.

In the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is using the same set of means that the AFU has learned to counteract in the sea space between Odessa and Snake Island: drones, mines and missiles. But unlike in previous years, the success of deblockade operations now depends on minimizing the size of ships.

"The main thing in such a tight area is not to become a target yourself. This is relevant for any ships or boats over 40 meters long," said Andrey Ryzhenko, captain of the first rank of the reserve, deputy chief of staff of the AFU Navy in 2004-2020.

According to him, traditional mine-neutral vessels have become too vulnerable to modern means of defeat.

"Even 15 years ago, NATO considered these ships only for low-intensity conflicts, and they were always covered by coastal air defense systems," he adds.

In a major war, such ships would be destroyed on approach. This is one of the reasons why the U.S. has not yet undertaken full-fledged demining of the Strait of Hormuz.

This is why the concept of a "robot fleet" may be more effective. Unmanned systems - airborne, surface and underwater - are the only means of deblocking and patrolling today.

Kiev already has these competencies and is ready to share them. However, whether the "Ukrainian standard" will become the world standard depends not only on the technology, but also on the political will of the partners.