“It’s very simple," he said.
"We’re already monitoring the sea. You see daily updates from the Navy on how many enemy ships are at sea. We are fully monitoring the situation.”
Neizhpapa added that the Ukrainian military has comprehensive intelligence on “where, what is happening, and what the enemy is doing.” While Ukraine has its own reconnaissance system, its Western partners possess broader and more advanced capabilities, he noted.
The admiral acknowledged that a ceasefire in the Black Sea is possible.
“On the Russian side, yes — they’re criminals, but they’re military," Neizhpapa explained.
"On our side, we’re the Armed Forces, the Defense Forces — we carry out the orders given to us by our leadership. If the order is ‘Stop,’ we stop. If it isn’t, we continue.”
On March 26, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine expects the US to ensure Russia abides by an “unconditional ceasefire” in the Black Sea.
On April 1, Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk said there is no formal document confirming the start of any ceasefire in the Black Sea. The Ukrainian Navy continues to operate in standard mode.