Black Sea situation stabilization and combat capability improvement are first tasks of newly appointed Russian Navy commander – UK intel

Patrol ship Sergey Kotov
Patrol ship Sergey Kotov

Newly appointed Admiral Aleksandr Moiseyev’s first task as Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy will be to stabilize the security situation in the Black Sea and implement changes designed to improve the Black Sea Fleet’s combat capability in the region, the British Defense Ministry said in its March 15 intelligence update.

Following a series of significant Russian vessel losses in the Black Sea, on March 10, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Federation Navy, Admiral Nikolay Yevmenov, was highly likely removed from the position and replaced by Northern Fleet commander, Admiral Moiseyev.

Although a career submariner, prior to his appointment as Northern Fleet commander, Admiral Moiseyev held command of the Black Sea Fleet between 2018 and 2019.

The sacking of Admiral Yevmenov comes after the removal of the second Black Sea Fleet commander since February 2022 and follows the loss of the Sergey Kotov corvette on March 5, the ninth major vessel to be lost to Ukrainian action since full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Read also: Black Sea clear of Russian warships for six days in a row — Ukrainian Navy

The reshuffle at the top of the Russian naval command was first reported by Russian media on March 10. However, the Kremlin refused to comment on Yevmenov’s dismissal.

“There are decrees classified as secret,” Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters.”

“I cannot comment on them. There were no open decrees published about this.”

The Russian Defense Ministry's website still lists Yevmenov as the Navy commander.

Read also: Seven sailors killed, at least 27 others injured on sunken Russian patrol ship Sergey Kotov — HUR

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine