https://www.npr.org/2023/07/28/ [login to see] /ukraine-rebuild-navy-destroyed-by-russia
First, Russia wiped out Ukraine's navy. Now, Russia is blocking Ukraine's critical grain exports on civilian ships in the Black Sea.
Ukraine is going against the tide as it tries to rebuild a naval force in the middle of a war. The challenges range from guarding against Russian sea-launched missile strikes, to ensuring the safe passage of Ukrainian wheat and corn to world markets.
Yet on the Dnipro River just off Kyiv, Ukraine offered a glimpse of those rebuilding efforts. The navy invited an NPR reporter for a ride on a river patrol boat, one of about a dozen provided by the U.S. last year.
The vessels, known as the SeaArk Dauntless 34, are just 34-feet long and carry just a few sailors. But they pack a punch.