Navy

Massive Leadership Cull in Russia's Baltic Sea Fleet

Russia's Defense Ministry on Wednesday launched an unprecedented purge of senior leadership from Russia's ailing Baltic Sea Fleet following a month-long inquiry into the fleet's command staff under the charge of Vice Adm. Viktor Kravchuk and his chief of staff, Vice Adm. Sergei Popov.

In total, some 50 senior naval officers were dismissed from military service for “dereliction of duty,” according to a Defense Ministry statement.

According to the statement, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said the Baltic command showed “serious shortcomings in the organization of combat training, daily activities of their forces, failure to take all necessary measures to improve personnel accommodations, inattention to their subordinates, and also distorted reports on the real state of affairs [in the fleet].”