Putin sacks Russian Navy chief
Putin sacks Russian Navy chief AuBC
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sacked Navy chief Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov as the military faces criticism over its handling of a mini-submarine accident last month.
The Kremlin says Mr Putin has appointed Admiral Vladimir Masorin as the new head of the Navy.
Mr Putin did not give a reason for Admiral Kuroyedov’s dismissal.
Local media had speculated that Admiral Kuroyedov could be axed after the submarine accident.
Seven Russian sailors spent three days trapped in an AS-28 rescue mini-submarine 180 metres down in the Pacific with dwindling air supplies.
They were rescued with the help of a British team.
Some critics asked why the Russian Navy did not have the rescue equipment at hand to match the navies of NATO countries.
Mr Putin has told Admiral Masorin that he has a lot of work ahead to build on reforms already undertaken in the Navy.
“You … face difficult tasks,” he said.
“We would not be able to solve all these problems even with the state’s economic potential growing if we do not strengthen discipline and order and solve tasks of social protection of seamen.”
Oh, here is the reason
One Admiral, Eduard Baltin, says Admiral Kuroyedov’s dismissal may have been linked to ill health.
“Kuroyedov is very ill. He has been lying in hospital for two months, he had a complicated operation,” Admiral Baltin told the Ekho Moskvy radio station.
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