Viktor Sokolov | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Native name | Виктор Николаевич Соколов |
| Born | (1962-04-04)4 April 1962 (age 63) Bender, Moldavian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Allegiance |
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| Branch | |
| Service years | 1980–present |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | Primorsky Flotilla [ru] Kola Flotilla [ru] N. G. Kuznetsov Naval Academy |
| Awards | Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" Fourth Class Order of Nakhimov Order of Military Merit Order of Naval Merit |
Viktor Nikolayevich Sokolov (Russian:Виктор Николаевич Соколов; born 4 April 1962) is an officer of theRussian Navy and former commander of theBlack Sea Fleet. He holds the rank ofadmiral.
In 2016, as deputy commander, Sokolov was in charge of a detachment of theNorthern Fleet engaged in operations off the coast of Syria during theRussian intervention there. After several months of operations, Sokolov was thanked for his services by theChief of the General StaffArmy GeneralValery Gerasimov, and returned with the taskforce to the fleet's homebases in Northern Russia. In January 2020 he left his post as deputy commander of the Northern Fleet to take up his new role as head of theN. G. Kuznetsov Naval Academy. In August 2022 during theRusso-Ukrainian war, he was appointed to command the Black Sea Fleet. In 2024, Vice AdmiralSergey Pinchuk replaced him as commander of the Black Sea Fleet.
Sokolov has not been seen since Ukraine claimed his death on 22 September 2023 when the Black Sea Fleet headquarters inSevastopol, Crimea, was hit byStorm Shadow cruise missiles fired by Ukraine inOperation Crab Trap. The Russian government denied that he had been killed and published a video purporting to show him still alive. In 2024, theInternational Criminal Court issued anarrest warrant for Sokolov, citing his allegedwar crimes during theRussian invasion of Ukraine.
Sokolov was born on 4 April 1962 inBender (Tighina), in theMoldavian SSR of theSoviet Union (nowMoldova, underTransnistrian control).[1] He entered theM.V. Frunze Higher Naval School inLeningrad on 1 August 1980, and graduated on 30 June 1985.[2][3] His first assignment was with thePacific Fleet as commander of the mine-torpedo warfare department of theRiga-classfrigateSKR-61 from August 1985 to August 1987, followed by a posting as commander of the same department on theNatya-classminesweeperYakor from August 1987 to October 1989.[4] In that month he moved to command the mine-torpedo warfare department on theSonya-class minesweeperBT-51, where he remained until December 1990. Sokolov's next posts were as assistant commander of his former vesselYakor from December 1990 to December 1991, and then as commander of theYakor's sistershipZaryad from September 1992 until September 1993.[4] In between these postings he took and completed theHigher Special Officer Classes of the Navy from 1991 to 1992.[2][3][4]
Sokolov began his naval service after graduating from the M.V. Frunze Higher Naval School in 1985 and was sent to serve in the Pacific Fleet. He rose from the position of commander of the mine-torpedo warfare department aboard a ship, to eventually command a minesweeper. After further studies in the Higher Special Officer Classes, he returned to the Pacific Fleet as chief of staff of a minesweeper division, and within a short time was appointed to command the division.
Sokolov was then appointed chief of staff of the 187th Division of minesweepers from September 1993 until September 1994, and then as commander of the 81st Division of minesweepers of the Pacific Fleet, from September 1994 until August 1995.[3][4] He entered theN. G. Kuznetsov Naval Academy on 1 September that year, and graduated on 30 July 1998.[2][3]
After completing the courses at the N. G. Kuznetsov Naval Academy in 1998 Sokolov became head of the operational management department at the Pacific Fleet's headquarters, followed by chief of staff and then commander of a brigade of surface ships. He took the advanced courses at theMilitary Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, and on graduating in 2006, became deputy commander, and then commander, of thePrimorsky Flotilla [ru]. In 2012 he moved to theNorthern Fleet and took command of theKola Flotilla [ru].
Sokolov returned to the Pacific Fleet as head of the operational management department of the fleet's headquarters until June 2000, after which he became chief of staff of the Primorsky Flotilla's 165th brigade of surface ships, and then the brigade's commander from September 2002 until September 2004.[4] He was then once more on secondment for training purposes, studying at the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces from September 2004 until July 2006, before again returning to the Pacific Fleet, this time in the post of deputy commander of the Primorsky Flotilla from August that year.[2][3] In August 2010 he was advanced to commander of the flotilla, holding the post until September 2012, when he was moved to the Northern Fleet to take command of the Kola Flotilla.[2][3] In August 2013 he was appointed deputy commander of the Northern Fleet.[2]
In August 2013 he was appointed deputy commander of the Northern Fleet.
In mid-2016 Sokolov was assigned to command a detachment of the Northern Fleet, based around the aircraft carrierAdmiral Kuznetsov and the battlecruiserPyotr Velikiy, for operations off the coast of Syria during theRussian intervention there.[5] The battlegroup leftSeveromorsk on 15 October 2016.[6] On 15 November 2016 the Russian military leadership announced that theAdmiral Kuznetsov's air wing had seen its first-ever combat use, during the military operations in Syria.[6] In his assessment of combat operations, the commander of the Russian military operations in Syria,General-ColonelAndrey Kartapolov, announced that Russian naval aviation had made 420 sorties, 117 of them at night, against 1,252 targets. In addition there had been over 750 sorties carrying out search and rescue, aviation transport support, air reconnaissance and maintaining air superiority.[7] The frigateAdmiral Grigorovich was reported to have launchedKalibr cruise missiles againstISIS targets on 15 November 2016.[7] On 6 January 2017Chief of the General StaffArmy GeneralValery Gerasimov thanked Sokolov for his service in command of the naval task force, and instructed him to prepare for the withdrawal from the area of operations and to return to the fleet base at Severomorsk.[7]
In September 2018 Sokolov took a leading role in the Ocean Shield exercises, which for the first time in Russia's modern history were held in the Mediterranean Sea. All four Russian fleets, as well as theCaspian Flotilla, were represented by a total of 25 ships and vessels, including two submarines, with more than three dozen aircraft and helicopters.[8]
After his stint as deputy commander of the Northern Fleet, he was appointed head of the N. G. Kuznetsov Naval Academy on 17 January 2020.[2][4]
It was announced on 17 August 2022 byRIA Novosti that Sokolov replacedIgor Osipov as commander of theBlack Sea Fleet (BSF). This came after the latter's loss to theUkrainian Armed Forces during the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine of the fleet's flagship, the cruiserMoskva, and the bombardment of theCrimean airfield of Saky (about 70 kilometers north ofSevastopol).[9]
Sokolov was promoted to the rank of admiral on 6 June 2023.[10]
On 22 September 2023, Ukraine claimed that Sokolov, and many other officers, were killed at a meeting when the Black Sea Fleet HQ at Sevastopol, Crimea was hit byStorm Shadows cruise missiles fired by Ukraine in what was referred to asOperation Crab Trap.[11][12][13][14]
Following these claims, Sokolov was shown on Russian state television attending a defence leaders' meeting remotely the day after the attack. The Russian government stated that they had received no information on Sokolov's death.[15] TheBBC reported on 27 September that it was unable to verify whether the meeting was held on the date of the attack, or whether the image of Sokolov on television was later than the attack. Following the Russian denial, Ukraine modified their claim, saying that it came from "open sources".[16] On 27 September two other videos featuring Sokolov were published by Russian media.[17] One of which was reported as him presenting awards toFC Sevastopol players "at this moment"; although the club itself had earlier stated that this ceremony would take place on 20 September.[17] In the other video Sokolov is mentioning the awarding of the810th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade with theMedal of Ushakov, on 29 August 2023Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian installedgovernor of Sevastopol, had announced that the 810th Brigade had been presented with this medal.[17] According toRadio Free Europe journalistMark Krutov a second award ceremony for the football team was held on 27 September, this time attended by Sokolov.[18]
On 15 February 2024, prominent Russian telegram channels includingRybar reported that Sokolov had been replaced as commander of the Black Sea Fleet. Under Sokolov, a significant portion of the Black Sea Fleet had been destroyed by Ukraine, including the large landing shipTsezar Kunikov on 14 February. The Russian milbloggers speculated that the replacement was due to these losses. Vice AdmiralSergey Pinchuk was expected to take over command of the Black Sea Fleet.[19] On 2 April 2024, Sergei Pinchuk was appointed as commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.[20]
On 5 March 2024, theInternational Criminal Court issued anarrest warrant for Sokolov as part ofits Ukraine investigation, citing his allegedwar crimes of directing attacks at civilian objects, causing excessive incidental harm to civilians or damage to civilian objects and thecrime against humanity of inhumane acts during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, all under theRome Statute. A similar warrant was issued againstSergey Kobylash.[21]
Sokolov was awarded theOrder "For Merit to the Fatherland" Fourth Class with Swords, theOrder of Nakhimov, theOrder of Military Merit and theOrder of Naval Merit.[2] He is married, with three sons.[2]
Media related toViktor Sokolov at Wikimedia Commons