For The First Time, The Ukrainian Navy Has Been Granted The Right To Command NATO Forces

• 24.07.2026, 19:13

The process of preparing to obtain that status took three years.

The Ukrainian Navy has been granted the right to command NATO forces following an assessment against the alliance’s standards, the Ukrainian Navy’s press service reported on Facebook.

The Mine Countermeasures Operations Headquarters of the Ukrainian Navy’s First Mine Countermeasures Division passed a Level 2 assessment against NATO standards (NEL-2) and received “Mission Capable” status.

“From now on, Ukraine has an alliance-verified capability to command and control subordinate multinational forces, interact at levels up to and including a NATO Standing Mine Countermeasures Group, and carry out the full spectrum of mine countermeasures tasks at sea,” according to a statement from the Ukrainian Navy.

The assessment was conducted as part of the Ukrainian-American Sea Breeze 2026 exercises. As noted by representatives of the Ukrainian Navy, successfully passing the NEL-2 assessment confirms the unit’s ability to carry out tasks in accordance with the standards of NATO’s Joint Operations Command.

The Ukrainian Navy stated that, following the assessment, the unit was integrated into NATO’s maritime mine countermeasures command and control system for the first time in the history of the modern Ukrainian Navy.

Preparations for obtaining this status lasted three years. During this time, Ukrainian naval personnel implemented NATO standards and doctrines and underwent the necessary inspections, according to the statement.