Ukrainian defense minister donated monthly wage for corvette

23.05.2011 Ukrainian defense minister Mikhail Yezhel again called all Ukrainians to build Project 58250 corvette together and donated his monthly salary for the ship's construction, reports Segodnya. Monthly wage rate of the Ukrainian minister is not disclosed. Online portal URA-Inform reported in mid-Apr referring to income declaration that Yezhel's annual salary in 2010 was UAH 216,900 ($27,200).

"Let us support initiative of naval veterans and build Ukrainian corvette all together! Personally, I have donated my monthly pay for construction of Ukrainian corvette", said defense minister. For the first time Yezhel offered to build first corvette "all together" late in March 2011. According to the minister, naval veterans earlier asked him to address to Ukrainians with request to donate money for the ship's construction, and an undisclosed volunteer proposed to endow UAH 1 mln.

Project 58250 corvettes will be constructed by Chernomorsky Shipyard (Nikolayev, Ukraine). The first corvette was laid down on May 17, 2011. As is expected, the ship would be delivered to the military in 2016, and other three corvettes are to join Ukrainian Navy till 2021. In total, there would be ten Project 58250 ships in Ukrainian Navy's inventory. As for the budget, financing of the corvette building program makes UAH 16.22 bln ($2.04 bln).