Ukraine says Russian commander killed in Crimea missile strikes

Ukrainian Special Forces on Monday claimed that Russian Black Sea Fleet commander Admiral Viktor Sokolov was killed during an attack Friday on Sevastopol in Crimea. Special operations leaders released a statement Monday saying that Sokolov and 33 other officers were killed in the attack and more than 100 people were wounded. Ukraine attacked the Black Sea port with at least two air strikes, targeting a Russian Naval leader meeting. The Russian Ministry of Defense said only one serviceman is missing after Friday’s attack and has said nothing about Sokolov.

Why is the strike so important? Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has been headquartered in the Crimean Peninsula since Russia illegally annexed the region in 2014. A successful attack there would show progress in Ukraine’s slow counteroffensive against Russia. Ukraine has been focusing more on the region, reportedly launching strikes on the Russian forces in Crimea regularly. 

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Jill Nelson’s report on Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea.