Admiral Viktor Sokolov, the commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, appeared on Russian state television during a defense leaders’ meeting, contradicting Ukraine’s special forces’ claims of his death in a missile attack on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters. The video’s timing is uncertain, and in response to this footage, the Ukrainian forces are revisiting their information. The broader context is ongoing conflict, with both sides reporting significant casualties and territorial shifts.
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Key Points:Â
- Ukrainian special forces had previously claimed that Admiral Viktor Sokolov and 33 officers were killed in a missile strike on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol.
- Russian state television released footage of Sokolov attending a defense leaders’ meeting via video call, but the exact date of the video remains unconfirmed.
- Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov made ambiguous comments regarding Sokolov’s fate, emphasizing Sokolov shouldn’t be in the “temporary occupied territories.”
- Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu reported that over 17,000 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in September and accused the U.S. and its allies of arming Ukraine’s forces.
- Reports suggest that Russia controls approximately 17.5% of Ukraine’s internationally recognized territory, with recent territorial gains and losses between the two nations.
