Looks like these Ukrainian ships have become barganing chips in the post Criema Take over—that or more ships for the Russian Navy.
“that or more ships for the Russian Navy.”
Why would they want them?
They only have ONE Krivak-class frigate (Hetman Sahaydachniy) capable of anything resembling long range operations, and only then if it is supported by another nation’s replenishment. Add to that one, maybe TWO operational Grisha Corvettes.
The World Bank gave them a loan for 4 new corvettes that will be built in Mykolaiv, but only one has been started, not expected to be launched until 2017.