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Ukraine – Naval Flags

Last modified: 2023-09-16 by martin karner
Keywords: ukraine | trident | jack | naval jack | border guard |
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Background

There are some reports of a Ukrainian naval ensign, jack and flag for the Ukrainian Border Guard. Flagmaster, 1994 showed the naval ensign as a blue cross throughout on a white field with the blue over yellow charged with the 'tryzub' (without the shield), in the canton. The flag of the Border Guard was reported as being green with a canton of blue over yellow and with the arms (golden trident on a blue shield bordered in gold). Flagmaster noted the lack of official documentation for these flags.

The war flag (naval ensign?), jack, and flag of the Border Guard are shown in colour in the latest issue of Info-bulletin, 1996. There is no explanation or documentation. The war flag is shown as a consisting of a dark blue cross on a white field. In the canton is the light blue over yellow with the arms (yellow trident on yellow bordered light blue shield) set on a white disc in the centre. The jack is light blue over yellow with the trident arms on the circle in the centre. The flag of the Border Guard is the same kind of canton set on a green field. All flags are about 2:3 in proportions.

Jos Poels posted to me more information about ensigns and jacks of the Ukrainian navy. According to information he received from vexillologists in Ukraine, the ensign and jack have not been officially adopted. Because of parliament's inability to adopt such flags, the navy has started making their own unofficial flags, often made on board. Consequently, there is a large number of designs, none of them official.
Jan Oskar Engene, 15 September 1996

Some weeks ago I reported that Ukraine Border Guard adopted new ensign. Yesterday I received from A. Basov full info about the topic. The new ensigns adopted are:
1) Ensign
2) Jack
3) Commander in chief
4) Deputy commander
5) Naval Commander
6) Canton Commander
7) Canton commander assistent & Commander of naval departament canton
8) Commander of Naval formation
9) Division pennant
10) Senior officier afloat
11) Masthead pennant
I assume that the images will are availables soon in several bulletins.
Jaume Olle', 18 December 1999

It seems that the cotized cross of the Ukraininan navy (appeared already in 1918, see Ukraine – Historical Flag – Hetmanete Flags (1918)) is quite probably inspired by the German imperial naval ensign.
Željko Heimer, 12 May 2003


Naval Ensign

image by Zachary Harden

Official Naval Ensign with white but without blue fimbriation in the upper (still image from video at 6:18 min., report about the underwater drone Marichka).
located by Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 3 September 2023

As of 2006, this is the correct pattern of the naval ensign. The translation of the law is as follows:
"APPENDIX No. 23 to the Decree of the President of Ukraine dated June 20, 2006 No. 551/2006 DESCRIPTION Naval Flag of the Armed Forces of Ukraine The Naval Flag of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is a white rectangular cloth with an aspect ratio of 2:3, in the center of which is a straight blue cross, and in the upper left corner of the cloth (cross) – the State Flag of Ukraine. On three sides (except the cross), the cross has a blue border placed at a distance of 1/4 of the width of the sides of the cross. The width of the sides of the cross is 1/15 of the length of the panel, and the width of the border is 1/4 of the width of the sides of the cross. Both sides of the flag cloth are mirror-identical. Head of the Secretariat President of Ukraine O. Rybachuk"
The decree can be found here (Ukrainian).
Zachary Harden, 4 September 2023


Variant with different shade of blue and different fimbriation

image by Eugene Ipavec, 21 March 2008

I visited Museum of Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kyiv in January 2008 and took photos of flags and bought some Ukrainian flags books issued in 2007.
This image is based on navy flags chart (navy flags since 2000) from the book and was translated by Andriy Grechylo as: "Ukrainian Navy".
Nozomi Kariyasu, 21 March 2008


Previously reported Flags

Ukrainian Navy have 3 ensigns. I don`t know the regulation on using the ensigns. My friend from Ukraine (V. Nerubenko) saw only the flag with national colours on the ships. Possibly, other two variants are for parades and for navy-fortresses
Victor Lomantsov, 8 January 2001

1) image by Victor Lomantsov, 8 January 2001

2) image by Victor Lomantsov, 8 January 2001

This is the correct Navy flag, which is incorrectly labeled 'war flag'. I can assure you, that the colours and proportions are observed precisely. This Navy flag was established by spring 1918, during government of hetman Skoropads'kyi, and was restored with establishment of independence). The national blue-and-yellow flag in the canton should not have a white circle with trident.
Roman v. Hord'eiev, 11 September 1998

The national flag when present in a naval Ukrainian flag rests on the blue cross's cotized arm (canton). Here however is an enlarged photo showing a variant: a narrow white border around the national flag where it (should) touch(es) the cross: <www.nato.int>. Photo accompanying text: "Navy officers onboard a battleship at Sevastopol Bay, prepare to raise the new Ukrainian naval flag for the first time, marking the first anniversary of the Ukrainian navy on 1 August. (Reuters)"
This 1997 text thus uses an older photograph. On this page, some 1992 and 1993 'first' flag hoistings are mentioned:
<www.globalsecurity.org>. Of course, the flag in above photo may have been an unofficial or prototype variant.
Jan Mertens, 1 January 2004

3) image by Victor Lomantsov, 28 January 2001

According to 'Pavillons nationaux et marques distinctives' [pay00], the first image is the 'naval ensign at sea or at anchor', the second image is 'naval ensign on public holidays' and the third image is unknown.
The auxiliary vessels' ensign (dark blue with naval ensign is canton – see Auxiliary Ships), as well as the rescue vessel's ensign (same with an aqualung helmet in a white badge at lower fly – see Salvation Ships) follow the same dual pattern.
Ivan Sache, 9 January 2001

L'Album 2000 [pay00] have only the first two shown. The one without the national flag in canton is captioned "Naval Ensgn at sea or at anchor" while the one with the coloured canton is "Naval Ensign on public holidays". Possibly Mr. Nerubenko had chance of seeing the ensigns only on festive days or maybe this "cermonial" ensign is used a bit more often?
In any case, Ukraininan naval flags are certainly and area whith many reports but few of them that would not be contradictory. I would guess that the ensign of type three above is used maybe by vessels of "guard units" i.e. a counterpart of the Russian St. Andrew's with orange ribbon.
Željko Heimer, 10 January 2001

It is a interesting explanation. But V. Nerybenko wrote me that he spoke with sailors. They don`t know about navy ensign without national colours".
Victor Lomantsov, 10 January 2001

No. 1 is for ships anchored in sea. No 2 is the ensign for holiday days. No. 3 is the ensign for navy and groups of national navy.
Jaume Ollé, 27 January 2001

No. 2 appears at the collection of UA military flags at www.uarmy.com.ua as navy ensign.
Victor Lomantsov and Dov Gutterman, 26 June 2002

See also image from www.dod.niss.gov.ua/sostav.htm, located by Michael Simakov, 15 June 1999


Flags According to L'Album 2000 [pay00]

Naval Ensign at sea or at anchor

image by Željko Heimer

According to L'Album 2000 [pay00] – Naval Ensign at sea or at anchor (---/--W 2:3) – White flag with a blue cotized cross. The construction of the cross is not known to us (is it?). Obove we have Victor's image that is slightly different, for which dr. hord'eiev claims to be exact and correct. In Album the blue cotize appears slightly wider then the white stripe between it, so I follow that (also in all other flags that inlcude the blue cross).
What is the meaning "at sea or at anchor" – are there any other ensigns used otherwise?
Of course, there is the holiday ensign, but the two terms does not seem to be complementary. I assume that this may easily be just following of the terminology used in some Ukriainan regulations, and as it is often in such documents, the locig is not always "obvious".
Željko Heimer, 10 May 2003

Naval Ensign on public holidays

image by Željko Heimer

According to L'Album 2000 [pay00] – Naval Ensign on public holidays (---/--W 2:3) – Naval ensign with the national bicolour in canton.
It is said obove by Hord'eiev that this was first introduced in 1918 in the Hetmanate, but on FOTW pages dealing with 1918 flags there is no such flag (but similar there are).
Do we know what are these holidays when these are used? Are they used, for example, also on saturdays? Are they used only as part of the full (and small) dress, or are they also used "on sea" on public holidays?
Željko Heimer, 10 May 2003

The at sea/at dock/holiday ensign system was discontinued in 2006. There is one unified ensign, and the information is as follows "APPENDIX No. 23 to the Decree of the President of Ukraine dated June 20, 2006 No. 551/2006 DESCRIPTION Naval Flag of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Naval Flag of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is a white rectangular cloth with an aspect ratio of 2:3, in the center of which is a straight blue cross, and in the upper left corner of the cloth (cross) – the State Flag of Ukraine. On three sides (except the cross), the cross has a blue border placed at a distance of 1/4 of the width of the sides of the cross. The width of the sides of the cross is 1/15 of the length of the panel, and the width of the border is 1/4 of the width of the sides of the cross. Both sides of the flag cloth are mirror-identical. Head of the Secretariat President of Ukraine O. Rybachuk ".
The decree can be found here (An image of the ensign is at this link).
Zachary Harden, 6 September 2023 (by e-mail)


Flag According to L'Album Album 1990's issue Corr. 29 (1997) [pay97b]

Naval Ensign

image by Željko Heimer

Album 1990's issue Corr. 29 [pay97b] includes the first longish list of UA flags, but these were mostly unconfirmed. As far as I have understood (please correct me if I am wrong), these flags might have actually been in use in mid-1990's – as the legislation on new naval flags was too slow, the navy apaprently used sets of unofficial or semi-official (in any case, de facto) flags, one of which was the one presented in this Album issue.
Naval Ensign – White ensign with blue cotized cross and the simplified coat of arms in canton. Note on the page says for this flag to be unconfirmed, especially inclusion of CoA is questionable.
Željko Heimer, 15 May 2003

Naval Unit and Group Ensign

image by Željko Heimer

According to Album 1990's issue Corr. 29 [pay97b] – Naval Unit and Group Ensign – White ensign with blue cotized cross and the national bicolour in the the canton with the simplified coat of arms in its middle. Note on the page says for this flag to be unconfirmed, especially inclusion of CoA is questionable.
Željko Heimer, 15 May 2003


Flag According to L'Album 1995 [pie90]

image by Željko Heimer

In Album 1995 [pie90] Recap. 1 and subsequent Corr. 24 we have only four images for Ukraine, apparently different from latter flags (transitional version of questionable officiality, I guess):
Naval Ensign – White flag with blue cross thoughout and in canton the national bicolour defaced with a white disk containing the simplified CoA.
The images suggest that the cross width is 1/5 of the hoist, i.e. the stripes of the light blue, yellow and dark blue are equal at hoist, but it is quite questionable if anything so detailed should be concluded for these flags.
Željko Heimer, 18 May 2003


Incorrect (?) flag reported without fimbriation

image by Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 17 March 2014

There seems to be some doubt about what flag the Ukrainian Navy actually uses, the other day there was a close shot of the blockaded corvette "Ternopil" in Sebastopol. She had an ensign including the blue and yellow horizontal stripes in the upper canton. It was close enough to see that in that canton they had left off the fimbriation of the dark blue cross which is the main design of the flag.
Kenneth Fraser, 7 March 2014


Navy Emblem


image by Eugene Ipavec, 21 March 2008

I visited Museum of Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kyiv in January 2008 and took photos of flags and bought some Ukrainian flags books issued in 2007.
This image is based on the book.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 21 March 2008


Jack

image by Eugene Ipavec, 21 March 2008

I visited Museum of Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kyiv in January 2008 and took photos of flags and bought some Ukrainian flags books issued in 2007.
This image is based on navy flags chart (navy flags since 2000) from the book and was translated by Andriy Grechylo as: "Jack".
Nozomi Kariyasu, 21 March 2008


Previously reported Flags

image by Antonio Martins, 17 December 2002

Trident included when President is on board.
Victor Lomantsov, 8 January 2001

image by Željko Heimer

In Album 1995 [pie90] Recap. 1 and subsequent Corr. 24 we have only four images for Ukraine, apparently different from latter flags (transitional version of questionable officiality, I guess):
Naval Jack. – The national bicolour defaced with a white disk containing the simplified CoA. This flag is missing from L'Album 2000 [pay00].
Željko Heimer, 18 May 2003


Masthead Pennant


image by Eugene Ipavec, 21 March 2008

I visited Museum of Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kyiv in January 2008 and took photos of flags and bought some Ukrainian flags books issued in 2007.
This image is based on navy flags chart (navy flags since 2000) from the book and was translated by Andriy Grechylo as: "Pennant of ship".
Nozomi Kariyasu, 21 March 2008


Previously reported Flags


image by Željko Heimer, 13 May 2003

Pennant of navy ships.
Victor Lomantsov, 11 January 2001

According to L'Album 2000 [pay00] – Naval Masthead Pennant – White long swallow-tailed pennant with blue cross neaxt to the hoist. It may be worth of noting that the crosses in the masthead pennants are not cotized white the ensigns are cotized. This would make some sense, since the cotization would hardly be visible in the thin long pennant ...
Željko Heimer, 10/15 May 2003


Flag According to L'Album 1990's issue Corr. 29 (1997) [pay97b]


image by Željko Heimer

According to Album 1990's issue Corr. 29 [pay97b] – Naval Masthead Pennant (1:15) – White swallow-tailed pennant with blue cross next to hoist and simplified CoA in the canton. But for the unconfirmed CoA, it is similar to 2000, however, the ratio is given much shorter here.
Željko Heimer, 15 May 2003


Auxiliary Ships


image by Eugene Ipavec, 21 March 2008

I visited Museum of Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kyiv in January 2008 and took photos of flags and bought some Ukrainian flags books issued in 2007.
This image is based on navy flags chart (navy flags since 2000) from the book and was translated by Andriy Grechylo as: "Support ship".
Nozomi Kariyasu, 21 March 2008


Previously reported Flags

1) image by Victor Lomantsov

2) image by Victor Lomantsov

Two flags for auxiliary ships.
Victor Lomantsov, 10 January 2001


Flags According to L'Album 2000 [pay00]

Auxiliary Vessels' Ensign at sea or at anchor

image by Željko Heimer

According to L'Album 2000 [pay00] – Auxiliary Vessels' Ensign at sea or at anchor (---/--W 2:3) – (Dark) blue ensign with the naval ensign in canton.
Ahen was it introduced?
Certainly this ensign, as well as the rescue ensign is inspired in design (and it mere existance) on the Soviet ensigns of the type.
Željko Heimer, 10 May 2003

Auxiliary Vessels' Ensign on public holidays

image by Željko Heimer

According to L'Album 2000 [pay00] – Auxiliary Vessels' Ensign on public holidays (---/--W 2:3) – As above, but with the national bicolour in the canton of the naval ensign (itself in the canton).
Željko Heimer, 10 May 2003


Flag According to L'Album 1990's issue Corr. 29 (1997) [pay97b]

image by Željko Heimer

According to Album 1990's issue Corr. 29 [pay97b] – Auxiliary Ships' Ensign – Blue ensign with the naval ensign in canton (with simplified CoA in its canton). Note on the page says for this flag to be unconfirmed, especially inclusion of CoA is questionable.
Željko Heimer, 15 May 2003


Salvation Ships

image by Eugene Ipavec, 21 March 2008

I visited Museum of Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kyiv in January 2008 and took photos of flags and bought some Ukrainian flags books issued in 2007.
This image is based on navy flags chart (navy flags since 2000) from the book and was translated by Andriy Grechylo as: "Search and Rescue Ship".
Nozomi Kariyasu, 21 March 2008


Previously reported Flags

1) image by Victor Lomantsov

2) image by Victor Lomantsov

Two flags for salvation ships.
Victor Lomantsov, 10 January 2001


Flags According to L'Album 2000 [pay00]

Rescue Vessels' Ensign at sea or at anchor

image by Željko Heimer

According to L'Album 2000 [pay00] – Rescue Vessels' Ensign at sea or at anchor (---/--W 2:3) – As auxiliary ensign defaced with a white disk in fly with black ancient diving helmet.
The helmet in album is somewhat different from the one by Victor, and also from previous album issue. That is probably not significant, after all.
Željko Heimer, 10 May 2003

Rescue Vessels' Ensign on public holidays

image by Željko Heimer

According to L'Album 2000 [pay00] – Rescue Vessels' Ensign on public holidays (---/--W 2:3) – As for the other naval ensigns, the national bicolour is added in the canton of the naval ensign.
Željko Heimer, 10 May 2003


Flag According to L'Album 1990's issue Corr. 29 (1997) [pay97b]

image by Željko Heimer

According to Album 1990's issue Corr. 29 [pay97b] – Naval Rescue Ships' Ensign – Blue ensign with the naval ensign in canton (with simplified CoA in its canton) and a white disk with black outlined diving helmet. The helmet shape is actually entirely like the one in Album 2000, only that it has no black fill anywhere. Note on the page says for this flag to be unconfirmed, especially inclusion of CoA is questionable.
Željko Heimer, 15 May 2003


Hydrographic Ships

image by Eugene Ipavec, 21 March 2008

I visited Museum of Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kyiv in January 2008 and took photos of flags and bought some Ukrainian flags books issued in 2007.
This image is based on navy flags chart (navy flags since 2000) from the book and was translated by Andriy Grechylo as: "Hydrographic Ship".
Nozomi Kariyasu, 21 March 2008


Special Transport Service

image by Eugene Ipavec, 21 March 2008

I visited the Museum of Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kyiv in January 2008 and took photos of flags and bought some Ukrainian flags books issued in 2007.
This is the flag of "Special Transport Service".
Nozomi Kariyasu, 21 March 2008


Flag of Military Unit of Ukrainian Navy (Project 1997)

image by Eugene Ipavec, 21 March 2008

I visited Museum of Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kyiv in January 2008 and took photo of flag with silver cross.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 21 March 2008

It is flag of military unit of Ukrainian navy (project 1997).
Andriy Grechylo, 21 March 2008