High losses in the Black Sea Fleet: the admiral of a nuclear submarine should save the reputation of the Russian Navy

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It is the next leadership change in the Russian military: On Tuesday, Alexander Moiseyev (61) was appointed the new Russian navy chief during a ceremony on the Baltic Sea island of Kotlin near Saint Petersburg. The Russian state news agencies Ria Novosti and Tass reported this unanimously. Moiseyev succeeds Nikolai Yevmenov (61).

Russian media reported a week and a half ago that navy chief Yevmenov had been fired. The Kremlin declined to comment. Now the previous commander of the Russian Northern Fleet will be his successor.

Can Moiseyev save the reputation of the Russian Navy?

In recent weeks, Russia has suffered several losses in the Black Sea. In total, the Ukrainian military says it has sunk more than 20 Russian ships since the conflict began in February 2022. The Russian Navy was forced to move ships further east of the historic Black Sea Fleet base at Sevastopol in Crimea due to the Ukrainian attacks.

The disastrous balance in the Black Sea has not improved in recent months – on the contrary. It may have convinced Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin (71) to pull the cord. The destruction last month of ships such as the landing ship Caesar Kunikov and the patrol ship Sergei Kotov was also shameful, as Ukraine does not have a single warship of its own. The new Navy chief now faces the challenge of saving the Navy’s reputation.

“Hero of Russia”

Moiseyev has been in the military since 1981 – first in the Soviet Army, then in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. He served on nuclear submarines for more than 29 years. He completed the Russian Navy officer course in 1995.

Moiseyev is highly decorated. After a mission to the North Pole he received the Order of Bravery. In 2011, he received Russia’s highest honorary title and was honored as “Hero of Russia” for a successful missile launch from a strategic submarine.

Surovikin had to leave in January 2023

Moiseyev quickly rose through the ranks in the Northern Fleet, and at times he also commanded the Black Sea Fleet. It is not the first time that Moiseyev has succeeded Yevmenov. In 2018, the Kaliningrad native succeeded the Moscow native as commander of the Northern Fleet.

Yevmenov’s ouster is the biggest shock to Russia’s military leadership since the dismissal of Sergei Surovikin, 57, who commanded Russian forces in Ukraine until January 11, 2023.

Source: Blick