Russian President Vladimir Putin fired one his top admirals in charge of the Pacific Fleet following military drills that were supposed to showcase Russia’s power against the West. Admiral Sergei Avakyants, 66, the commander of his Pacific Fleet was fired as the military drills were still underway.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Trutnev confirmed the move.
The firing of Avakyants is a sign the Russian leader was left unhappy with the outcome of the drills so far, despite hailing the performance on Monday.
Avakyants had been in charge of the fleet since 2012.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin that the exercise that began Friday involves 167 warships, including 12 submarines, 89 aircraft and 25,000 troops.
As part of the drills, Russia’s nuclear-capable long-range strategic bombers will “fly over the central part of the Pacific Ocean to imitate strikes against groups of enemy ships,” Shoigu said.
Speaking during Monday’s meeting with Shoigu, Putin praised the navy’s “high level” performance and said that similar drills should be held in other areas.
The Defence Ministry has declared that sectors in the southern part of the Sea of Okhotsk, the Peter the Great Bay of the Sea of Japan and the Avacha Bay on the southeastern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula would be closed to sea and air traffic for the duration of practice torpedo and missile launches and artillery exercises.
More to follow…
