Commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Sacked After Another Loss to Ukraine
In a surprising turn of events, Admiral Viktor Sokolov, the commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, has been dismissed from his position following yet another loss to Ukraine. The news broke on local Telegram channels, with the Rybar Telegram channel, known for its links to Russia’s defense ministry, reporting the changes in the fleet. The dismissal comes after Ukraine’s forces successfully destroyed Russia’s Caesar Kunikov landing ship earlier this week.
The reports suggest that Commander Sokolov has been sacked, and the duties of the commander of the Black Sea Fleet are now being performed by Vice Admiral Sergei Pinchuk, the Chief of Staff of the Black Sea Fleet. This information was obtained from the Black Sea Fleet’s website, which confirms Vice Admiral Pinchuk’s new role. While these claims have been reported by various Russian and Ukrainian military bloggers and channels, Newsweek has not been able to independently verify the reports and has reached out to Russia’s defense ministry for comment.
The recent loss suffered by Russia’s Black Sea Fleet occurred when Ukraine’s forces targeted the Ropucha-class landing ship Caesar Kunikov using naval drones. Ukraine’s intelligence service released a video showcasing the moment their forces struck the vessel with MAGURA V5 sea drones near the annexed Crimean Peninsula. The ship sustained damage on its left side and began to sink, although the fate of those on board remains unknown. Publicly available data indicates that the ship had 87 crew members at the time of the attack.
This incident is not an isolated event but rather part of a larger conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Since February 2022, when Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine has consistently targeted Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made it clear that he intends to reverse Putin’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.
The Caesar Kunikov is the fifth large landing ship to have been struck by Ukraine throughout the war. As of February 6, Ukrainian forces had disabled approximately 33 percent of the Black Sea Fleet’s warships, including 24 Russian ships and one submarine, according to the Ukrainian Armed Forces Center for Strategic Communications (StratCom). Notably, in April 2022, Ukraine attacked and sunk the fleet’s flagship, Moskva. In September 2023, a missile attack by Ukraine on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol reportedly resulted in the deaths of several leading officers and the destruction of a Russian submarine. Additionally, in December, Kyiv destroyed the landing ship Novocherkassk, resulting in the reported deaths of at least 37 Russian sailors.
Ukraine’s success in targeting Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has been further demonstrated earlier this month when Ukrainian naval drones destroyed Russia’s missile-armed corvette Ivanovets near Crimea in a nighttime operation. The attack was carried out using MAGURA V5 sea drones.
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate, with both sides suffering losses and casualties. The dismissal of Admiral Viktor Sokolov as the commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is just one example of the consequences faced by Russian military leaders in the face of Ukraine’s persistent attacks. As the conflict rages on, it remains to be seen how both countries will navigate the challenges ahead and whether any resolution or common ground can be found.
