Admiral Viktor Sokolov Dismissed from Russian Black Sea Fleet Commander’s Post

15 February, 2024 Viktor Sokolov. Photo from open sources Admiral Viktor Sokolov has been dismissed from the post of Commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

Russian propaganda Telegram channels reported about this. Sokolov was dismissed from his post amid serious losses in the Russian Black Sea Fleet in February, 2024. As previously reported, on the night of February 14, Ukrainian MAGURA naval drones attacked the Russian landing ship Caesar Kunikov off the coast of the temporarily occupied Crimea.

The landing ship Caesar Kunikov sustained critical holes in its port side and sank. Previously, on February 1, Ukrainian drones attacked a Russian Project 12411 corvette, the 'Ivanovets'.

The Russian Project 12411 guided missile corvette Ivanovets goes to the bottom, February 1, 2024. Photo credits: DIU

The Russian ship of Project 12411 was on a raid on Lake Donuzlav in the temporarily occupied Crimea when it was attacked by naval drones.

As a result of a series of direct strikes to the hull, the Russian ship sustained damage incompatible with further movement. The guided missile corvette 'Ivanovets' heeled to the stern and sank. Sokolov took over as Commander of the Black Sea Fleet on September 14, 2022.

He replaced Admiral Igor Osipov, under whose leadership the Black Sea Fleet lost its flagship, the missile cruiser 'Moskva'. Under Sokolov's leadership, the Russian fleet in the region lost more than 20% of its composition to damage and destruction.

Destroyed Russian Askold corvette. November 2023.

Ukraine, Crimea. Photo credits: Russian propaganda resources

Large landing craft suffered the greatest losses. The landing ships 'Minsk', 'Novocherkassk', and 'Caesar Kunikov' were destroyed, while the landing ships 'Olenegorsky Gornyak' and 'Saratov' of Project 1171 sustained varying degrees of damage.

In addition, the 'Rostov-on-Don' Project 636.3 submarine, the 'Askold' Project 22800 small missile ship, several small landing craft, a large number of assault boats, and the 'Spasatel Vasily Bekh' tugboat were destroyed.

The corvette 'Velikiy Ustyug', the frigate 'Admiral Makarov' and the minesweeper 'Ivan Golubets' also suffered various degrees of damage.

The new commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet has not been officially disclosed, but speculation within the network suggests that it is Vice Admiral Sergei Pinchuk.