Amid the raging Russia-Ukraine war, Russian President Vladimir Putin has fired an admiral in charge of the Pacific fleet. The Russian president made the dramatic move on Thursday when he fired 66-year-old Admiral Sergei Avakyants.
According to Daily Mail, the experts believe that this move indicates that the Russian president is furious about the failure of Russian military drills in the region to send a solid message to the West. While the Russia-Ukraine war continues to remain a matter of concern, the rising tensions in the Pacific region have been an issue for many actors as well.
As per the British news outlet, Admiral Avakyants was fired while the military drills were still underway.
According to Daily Mail, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Trutnev confirmed the move made by the Russian president.
The admiral had headed the Pacific Fleet since May 2012. As per the news outlet, after getting fired, Avakyants was shifted to a backroom role in Moscow and was made in charge of military sports and patriotic training.
As per the report, the surprise firing also took place after the Russian president ordered a spot check on the combat readiness of his Pacific Fleet.
According to the British news outlet, the ongoing drills are being undertaken around the disputed islands off Japan. While the Russian media called the drills a success, the dramatic firing of the admiral of the fleet tells a different story.
As of now, no replacement has been announced for the Russian admiral. The move came off as a surprise since Avakyants is one of the most decorated navy officers of the Russian Navy.
As per the report by the Daily Mail, Avakyants was a recipient of the Order of Naval Merit and the Order for Service to the Homeland. Avakyants was honoured with the later award during his time in the Armed Forces of the USSR.
Not only this, but last year the admiral’s fleet also won the prize of being the best trained of Putin’s naval fleets. Avakyants was also a close ally and a friend to the Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.
It was Shoigu who announced the combat-readiness exercises in the region.
