Authors

Discussion

The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has devastated Ukraine’s naval capacity, culminating in the loss of most of its surface fleet and the initial closure of its major Black Sea ports. Yet the war has also demonstrated the continuing strategic importance of maritime power to Ukraine’s security, economy, and sovereignty. This paper examines the challenges and opportunities involved in rebuilding the Ukrainian navy after the war. It argues that a postwar Ukrainian navy cannot simply replicate its pre-2014 structure, which was oriented toward conventional fleet-on-fleet engagement, but must instead adopt a leaner, asymmetric, and multi-nationally integrated posture. It highlights the utility of emerging technologies, including uncrewed systems, coastal defense missile batteries, and resilient command-and-control networks, that enable a cost-effective sea denial strategy against superior naval forces. At the same time, it stresses the political and institutional requirements of naval reconstruction, including stable defense funding, anti-corruption reforms, investment in the qualitative aspects of maritime power and long-term commitments from Western partners. The paper concludes that the future Ukrainian navy needs to be a flexible, layered, and coalition-oriented force capable of safeguarding national interests and contributing to regional security architecture in the Black Sea.