Russian Black Sea Fleet Commander Alive Despite Ukrainian Claims of His Death

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In a surprising turn of events, Viktor Sokolov, the commander of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, has been shown attending a meeting a day after Ukrainian special forces claimed he was killed in a missile attack. 

Video and photographs released by the Russian defence ministry and shown on state television on Tuesday show Sokolov taking part in a video conference with Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu and other top admirals and army chiefs.

Ukraine's special forces said on Monday that Sokolov was killed in the Russian-annexed peninsula of Crimea along with 33 other officers in a missile attack on the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in the port of Sevastopol. 

The statement added that 105 others were wounded in the strikes.

While the report did not name Sokolov, Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to Ukraine's minister of internal affairs, posted the admiral's name and a photo on social media. 

The defence ministry released a statement saying the meeting had taken place earlier in the day. Sokolov appears on screen several times without speaking.

Russia has suffered a string of attacks on the strategically important port of Sevastopol in recent months. 

Implications of the incident 

The fact that Sokolov is alive and well has a number of implications for the war in Ukraine. 

First, it suggests that Ukraine's intelligence may not be as reliable as it thought. This could have a knock-on effect on Ukraine's ability to target Russian commanders and other high-value targets.

Second, it shows that Russia is still able to operate effectively in Crimea, despite Ukrainian attacks. This is a significant blow to Ukraine's morale, as Crimea is seen as Ukrainian territory.

Third, it raises the question of whether Russia is deliberately spreading disinformation about the war. This could be a way to demoralise Ukraine and its allies, and to sow confusion and distrust.

Overall, the news that Sokolov is alive is a setback for Ukraine and a boost for Russia. It remains to be seen how this will affect the course of the war.