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Aleksandr Viktorovich Vitko | |
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| Native name | Александр Викторович Витко |
| Born | (1961-09-08)September 8, 1961 (age 64) |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union (to 1991) Russia |
| Branch | Soviet Navy Russian Navy |
| Years of service | 1979–2021 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Unit | Naval High Command |
| Battles / wars | Russo-Ukrainian War |
AdmiralAleksandr Viktorovich Vitko (Russian:Александр Викторович Витко; born September 13, 1961) is a retired officer of theRussian Navy, and a former commander of the RussianBlack Sea Fleet between April 2013 and June 2018.[1]
Aleksandr Vitko was born September 13, 1961, inVitebsk, theByelorussian SSR. In 1984 he graduated from theNakhimov Higher Naval School, and served in thePacific Fleet.[2] During 2009-2013 he was the Deputy commander of theNorthern Fleet.
Vitko took command of theBlack Sea Fleet on April 15, 2013.[3]
Vitko took an active part in theannexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. He delivered to Ukrainian troops an ultimatum to surrender before 5:00 am on March 4, threatening to storm the offices and units of the armed forces of Ukraine in the Crimea.[4] On March 4, 2014, together withAleksei Chaly he visited the headquarters of the Naval Forces of Ukraine. The next day, he was prosecuted by the general prosecutor of Ukraine on charges of incitement to treason and sabotage against the organization of the Ukrainian troops.[5]
The Russian Defense Ministry called this an attempt of provocation aimed to destabilize the situation in Crimea. According to Deputy Defense MinisterAnatoly Antonov, the Black Sea Fleet commander performed his duties lawfully, in strict compliance with the Russian-Ukrainian agreements on basing the Russian fleet in Ukraine and the Charter of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. On March 12, 2014, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal investigation into the illegal decision of the General Prosecutor's Office against Aleksandr Vitko. He would be included amongst the individuals who were targeted withasset freezes, travel bans, andsanctions by theEuropean Union and theUnited States.[6][7]
On June 26, 2018, it was announced that Vitko was replaced by Vice-AdmiralAlexander Moiseev and assigned "a new place of military service in the Navy High Command."[3]
In 2019 Vitko was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Navy, replacing Vice-AdmiralAndrei Volozhinsky, and was seen as a potential political replacement forDmitry Ovsyannikov.[8][9]
In March 2014 theEU enacted sanctions against Aleksandr Vitko in relation to the violation of Ukrainian sovereign territory.[10]
He was sanctioned by theUK government in 2014 in relation to theRusso-Ukrainian War.[11]
