The dismissal of the Black Sea Fleet commander, Admiral Viktor Sokolov, from his post is highly likely to be a result of Ukraine’s success in sinking various ships under his command, the UK Defense Ministry reported on 14 January.
The alleged dismissal came after the Ukrainian military sank the landing ship Caesar Kunikov of the Russian Black Sea Fleet overnight on 14 February near the Russian-occupied Crimean city of Alupka.
The alleged dismissal came after the Ukrainian military sank the landing ship Caesar Kunikov of the Russian Black Sea Fleet overnight on 14 February near the Russian-occupied Crimean city of Alupka.
The British Defense Ministry reported that Sokolov was likely replaced by his now-former deputy, Igor Osipov. It occurred before the conclusion of an internal investigation into the 15 February 2024 sinking of the Caesar Kunikov landing ship.
The ministry didn’t specify whether Sokolov is alive, who was also likely removed immediately after the sinking of the cruiser Moskva in 2022.
Although Russia showed a video of an online meeting allegedly with Sokolov and a video of him commenting on that, the filming date is unknown. Sokolov also reportedly disappeared from the media.
Shortly after the strike on the headquarters in Sevastopol in September 2023, the Ukrainian Special Forces announced that 34 officers, including the commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, had been killed in the attack.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov neither confirmed nor denied the news of the liquidation of the Russian Black Sea Fleet commander.
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