Vladimir Putin has replaced the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, according to reports, four months after Ukraine sank its flagship, the Moskva, and days after a series of explosions rocked Crimea.
The Russian president is thought to have demoted admiral Igor Osipov in favour of his former deputy, Viktor Sokolov, following a series of setbacks for the fleet, including a suspected Ukrainian drone attack on its base earlier this month.
Mr Osipov’s sacking, if confirmed, would be one of the most high-profile of the war so far.
