Ukrainian Minesweeper Cherkasy - 2021 Mint Issue

The minesweeper Cherkasy, built in 1977 for the Soviet Navy, joined the Ukrainian Navy fleet in 1997 and patrolled the waters around the Crimean peninsula. In March 2014 Russia invaded and annexed Crimea and took control of all Ukrainian ships in the area. The Cherkasy managed to avoid capture for several weeks, and was finally taken over by Russian forces on March 25, 2014. It was the last military ship controlled by Ukraine in Crimea. Today the aging Cherkasy remains moored in the Russian-occupied port of Sevastopol. Ukraine honored the heroic holdout of the Cherkasy with this recent issue picturing the ship.