RUSSIA SHOWS FOOTAGE OF BLACK SEA FLEET CHIEF UKRAINE SAID WAS DEAD

Tue 26 September 2023:

After Ukraine claimed he was killed in one of its attacks, Moscow provided footage purporting to show Black Sea Fleet Commander Viktor Sokolov alive.

Several photographs and a video released by the Russian Defence Ministry on Tuesday showed Sokolov attending an online meeting chaired by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. However, he can only be seen on a screen mounted behind Shoigu and no date is given.

Il comandante della flotta russa del Mar Nero, l'ammiraglio Viktor Sokolov, che l’Ucraina aveva annunciato come morto durante l’attacco missilistico di qualche giorno fa, ha preso parte questa mattina alla riunione del consiglio del Ministero della Difesa russo. pic.twitter.com/utNUrQXK0B

— Daniele Angrisani (@putino) September 26, 2023

Sokolov appears completely rigid in the short sequence. It was not possible to independently verify the pictures.

The Ukrainian military announced it had killed Sokolov last Friday during a drone and missile attack on Crimea, which was annexed by Russia. Kiev’s attack severely damaged the headquarters of the fleet in Sevastopol and Ukraine said it had killed 34 officers.

RUSSIAN BLACK SEA FLEET COMMANDER AMONG 34 OFFICERS KILLED, UKRAINE SAYS

Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year, spoke of only one missing person after the attack.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov would not comment on questions from reporters about Sokolov. He had no information on the matter, which was the responsibility of the Defence Ministry, he said.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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