Commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Sacked After Another Loss to Ukraine
In a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Admiral Viktor Sokolov, the commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, has been relieved of his duties following another loss suffered by the fleet. Reports from local Telegram channels indicate that there have been changes within the Black Sea Fleet after Ukraine’s forces destroyed Russia’s Caesar Kunikov landing ship earlier this week.
According to the Rybar Telegram channel, which has links to Russia’s defense ministry, “changes in the Black Sea Fleet” have taken place, with Commander Sokolov being sacked. The channel further reveals that 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.
While these claims have been reported by several Russian and Ukrainian military bloggers and channels, Newsweek has been unable to independently verify the reports. Efforts to obtain a comment from Russia’s defense ministry have been made, but no response has been received yet.
The recent developments come just a day after Ukraine announced that its forces had successfully destroyed Russia’s Ropucha-class landing ship, Caesar Kunikov, using naval drones. Ukraine’s intelligence service released a video purportedly showing the moment of the attack, which took place near the annexed Crimean Peninsula, close to the city of Alupka.
The Caesar Kunikov is not the first vessel to be targeted by Ukraine during the conflict. In fact, it is the fifth large landing ship to have been struck by Ukrainian forces. Since the start of the full-scale invasion by Russian President Vladimir Putin in February 2022, Ukraine has consistently targeted Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to reverse Putin’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.
The extent of the damage caused by the attack on the Caesar Kunikov is still unclear, as the Russian defense ministry has not commented on the incident or provided any information about the fate of those on board. It is known, however, that the ship had 87 crew members at the time of the attack.
Ukraine’s success in targeting Russian warships has been significant. By 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).
Throughout the conflict, Ukraine has demonstrated its ability to strike at key assets of the Black Sea Fleet. In April 2022, Ukraine attacked and sunk the fleet’s flagship, Moskva. In September 2023, a missile attack on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol reportedly killed several leading officers and destroyed a Russian submarine. Additionally, in December, at least 37 Russian sailors were reportedly killed when Ukraine destroyed the landing ship Novocherkassk.
The latest blow to the Black Sea Fleet came earlier this month when Ukrainian naval drones successfully destroyed Russia’s missile-armed corvette Ivanovets near Crimea in a nighttime operation. Ukraine claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it was carried out using MAGURA V5 sea drones.
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine shows no signs of abating, with both sides continuing to engage in military actions and counteractions. As Ukraine targets key assets of the Black Sea Fleet, Russia is forced to reassess its leadership and strategy in the region. The sacking of Admiral Viktor Sokolov as commander of the Black Sea Fleet is just one example of the consequences faced by Russian military officials in the face of repeated losses.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine remains a critical issue on the global stage, with far-reaching implications for regional stability and international relations. As both sides continue to vie for control and assert their dominance, the situation in the Black Sea region remains tense and unpredictable. The world watches with bated breath, hoping for a resolution that will bring an end to the violence and restore peace to the region.
