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Summary

Since 24th February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, the UK Home Office (Border Force) has seized more than 1,671 ‘small boats’¹.

Such boats are not and cannot be used in a meaningful way either by the Home Office or by any other department of the UK government. 

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The Times wrote in 2021, government sources estimated it had cost the UK taxpayer around £500,000 to store less than half that amount of boats that year²

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The Ukrainian Army has created three bridgeheads on the Russian-occupied East bank of the Dnipro in the Kherson Oblast.  We anticipate that tactical operations will continue for the foreseeable future. Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) urgently require such boats for their medical evacuation operations along the river.

 

Mission Ukraine UK has already provided a 15+ boats to the units involved in such operations, and continues to purchase and deliver the boats to Ukraine. However, the immediate demand for such boats greatly surpasses our capacity to find and buy the boats locally.

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Our Ask 

Our Team respectfully asks the Home Office to donate the confiscated boats from its possession directly to the Ukrainian MOD for further immediate delivery to the frontline in Ukraine.

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We want the Home Office to approve the donation of ‘small boats’ to Ukraine because:

• It will save the UK taxpayer £Millions (storage, insurance, disposal, recycling)

• There will be zero cost to the UK taxpayer and UK government

• Every boat donated will save lives in Ukraine (see below)

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If necessary, Mission Ukraine UK undertakes to cover the transportation and maintenance expenses, thus making this a zero-cost project for the British taxpayer which will also alleviate any recycling or disposal issues.

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Transparency & Safety

For the boats bought with donated money, every boat we receive and transport, is passed directly (without 3rd parties or intermediaries), to a designated Ukrainian military unit, and only in exchange for a signed Acceptance Act. This ensures and documents both the delivery, and the receipt of the asset. 

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All boats and outboard motors provided and delivered by Mission Ukraine UK are serviced and checked at 1 of 4 specialist workshops, which are themselves led by experienced marine engineers.

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