British officials are backing up reports in Russian media that the Kremlin has fired its most senior naval commander after devastating attacks on its Black Sea fleet at the hands of Ukraine, a country without warships.
On Friday, British military intelligence officials said it was “highly likely” that Adm. Nikolai Yevmenov, commander of the Russian Federation navy, has been sacked and will be replaced by Adm. Aleksandr Moiseyev, the current northern fleet commander.
The firing of Adm. Yevmenov comes after the loss on March 5 of the small warship Sergei Kotov, the ninth major Russian vessel taken out of action since President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“It is likely that Adm. Moiseyev’s first task as commander in chief of the navy will be to stabilize the security situation in the Black Sea and implement changes designed to improve the Black Sea fleet’s combat capabilities in the region,” British military officials said on X in their latest assessment of the battlefield in Ukraine.
Adm. Moiseyev is a career submarine officer and headed the Black Sea fleet prior to his appointment as northern fleet commander, British officials said.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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