The Ukrainian Navy, for the first time in history, has gained the right to command NATO forces. This achievement was made possible after the mine countermeasures action staff of the 1st Mine Countermeasures Ship Division of the Ukrainian Navy successfully passed the Level 2 Evaluation according to Alliance standards – NATO Evaluation Level 2 (NEL-2). This was reported by the Ukrainian Navy.

During the Ukrainian-American exercise "Sea Breeze-2026", the unit received the highest assessment – Mission Capable. This confirms that Ukrainian military sailors are capable of performing combat missions according to the standards of the NATO Joint Command.

The Navy explained that the NEL-2 assessment verifies not only compatibility with Alliance standards but also the unit's full operational readiness to perform international missions.

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Thanks to this, the Ukrainian unit was officially integrated into the NATO force command system responsible for eliminating mine danger at sea. From now on, Ukraine has an Alliance-confirmed capability to command multinational forces, interact at the level of the NATO Standing Mine Countermeasures Group, and perform the full spectrum of mine countermeasures operations.

The Navy emphasizes that the achievement is the result of three years of training amidst a full-scale war. Ukrainian sailors mastered NATO standards and doctrines to reach the required level of operational readiness.

The Navy notes that the experience gained will be important for the future clearing of the Black and Azov Seas from mines, and it is also another step towards Ukraine's integration into the Euro-Atlantic security system.