Russian Black Sea Fleet head dismissed after Ukrainian attack on the Cesar Kunikov ship near Crimea
Reports from Russian outlets suggest that the head of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Viktor Sokolov, was dismissed after a Ukrainian attack on the Cesar Kunikov landing ship near Crimea. One Telegram channel associated with the Russian Ministry of Defense claims that the chief of staff will now assume Sokolov's duties. However, there has been no official confirmation from the Russian Federation.
1:36 AM EST, February 16, 2024
It may be pertinent to remember that there were previous reports from Russian media about the potential fatality of the commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Viktor Sokolov, due to an attack on the Sevastopol headquarters on September 22, last year. These claims were subsequently unconfirmed.
Prior to Sokolov, Igor Osypow, Sokolov’s predecessor, was reportedly dismissed immediately after the cruiser "Moscow" sank in April 2022.
Potential use of the ship for mining
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed on February 14 that the Russian landing ship, Cesar Kunikov, was destroyed. This incident occurred in the Black Sea, near Alupka in Crimea.
Reports of the ship's destruction initially surfaced on the Ukrainska Pravda portal, which claimed the ship sank due to a drone attack. It was also inferred that the ship could have served purposes such as mining and transporting tanks and other military equipment.
"The Ukrainian Armed Forces, in collaboration with HUR, destroyed the invader's landing ship, Cesar Kunikov. At the time of the attack, the ship was located in Ukrainian territorial waters near Alupka (Crimea). Glory to the Ukrainian defense forces!" stated the General Staff on its Telegram channel. According to these reports, the ship was destroyed in the early hours of Wednesday.
Ukrainska Pravda further reported that the landing ship Cesar Kunikov, which had a crew of 87 people, could have been used for mining purposes. It also had the capacity to transport 150 paratroopers, 10 T-55 tanks, 12 PT-76 swimming tanks, or a tactical unit of various military hardware, including three T-55 tanks, three 120 mm mortar shells, and three armored vehicles.
Source: "Ukrainska Pravda"
