The new commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Sokolov, promised to increase its combat capability

MOSCOW, October 7 – RIA Novosti. The new commander of the Black Sea Fleet (BSF), Admiral Viktor Sokolov, took a standard from the hands of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Nikolai Evmenov, and promised to increase the combat readiness of the fleet, the information support department of the Black Sea Fleet reports.

During the official ceremony, Presidential Decree No. 638 of 14 September was read, declaring that Admiral Igor Osipov was dismissed as commander of the Black Sea Fleet and Vice Admiral Viktor Sokolov, head of the Navy’s military training center, was dismissed. He was removed from his post and appointed commander of the Black Sea Fleet.

“I am proud to be appointed to the glorious, oldest fleet of the Russian Navy. I undertake to use all my knowledge, experience and strength to increase the combat readiness of the Black Sea Fleet, I swear,” Sokolov said. said.

Sokolov was born on April 4, 1962 in the city of Bender of the Moldavian SSR. He graduated from the Frunze Higher Naval School, the Higher Special Officer Classes of the Navy, the Kuznetsov Naval Academy and the Military Academy of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces. From 1985 to 2012, he served in the Northern Fleet in command positions in the Pacific Fleet from 2012 to 2020. Since 2020 – Head of the Naval VUNTS – Naval Academy named after the Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov. The sword was awarded the orders of the IV degree “For Merit to the Fatherland”, with divisional medals “Nakhimov”, “For Military Merit”, “For Merit at Sea”, divisional medals.