Ukrainian special forces announced on Monday that they killed a top admiral, Viktor Sokolov, and 33 other officers in a missile strike last week. The attack targeted Russia’s Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol.
The Russian Defence Ministry released footage on Tuesday of Sokolov attending a video conference with Defence Minister Shoigu and other military officials. The video was also displayed on Russian state television after Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov previously declined to comment on Sokolov’s status. Independent sources are unable to confirm Sokolov’s status. The Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, held a meeting on Monday to address defense improvements and warning systems for the city. Razvozhayev noted that Ukrainian attacks have escalated from unmanned aquatic vehicles to long-range missile strikes. Ukrainian special forces also claimed the attack wounded an additional 105 Russians, but independent sources are unsure how they obtained this figure. If proven, Sokolov’s death would make the strike one of Kyiv’s most significant military actions on the Crimean peninsula since 2014.
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