MARK GALEOTTI: The missile strike that killed a top Russian admiral is proof that Ukraine is mastering the art of 21st century warfare

This is proof that Ukraine – with the help of the West – has mastered the art of warfare in the 21st century.

The rocket attack in Sevastopol that killed Admiral Viktor Sokolov along with 34 of his officers on Saturday shows that modern military operations depend on combining accurate intelligence and rapid decision-making with advanced machinery.

In this case, it is believed that the British Storm Shadow long-range missiles were used to destroy the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

While we have all seen spectacular video footage of strikes in Ukraine, the clandestine work of the intelligence services is rarely seen for obvious reasons.

In this case, it is likely that the US and British intelligence services provided precise information to the Ukrainians about the timing and location of a meeting of the Black Sea Fleet leadership in Sevastopol.

This was probably based both on intelligence obtained from people privy to the fleet’s secrets and on the interception of military communications.

It was then up to the Ukrainians to plan and execute an operation that overwhelmed Russian air defenses, striking with devastating force at exactly the right place and time.

The result is a humiliating blow to Russian morale. While the Kremlin-controlled media has so far remained largely silent on the raid, angry social media posts have complained about Moscow’s clumsy handling of its “special military operation.”

Many point out that the losses of the fleet, supposedly one of the jewels of the Russian army, are increasing alarmingly. Not only was the flagship Moskva sunk in April last year, but last week a number of other large ships, including two warships and a modern submarine, were destroyed in the dry dock in Sevastopol.

But what does this missile attack mean? The immediate effect on the Black Sea Fleet will be operational paralysis until new officers take command. Do not expect aggressive measures – for example regarding the Ukrainian grain shipments now starting from Odessa.

The Sevastopol operation has given Vladimir Putin (pictured) and his Kremlin apparatchiks a painful nosebleed and, more importantly, it is a triumph that shows Ukraine can fight smart.

And let us not forget that the devastating attack in Sevastopol is only the most spectacular in an ongoing series of operations that have targeted logistics, communications and command centers.

These operations used the same deadly combination of perfect intelligence and precise targeting. They systematically humiliate the Russian war machine and sow paranoia among Russian officers and rank-and-file soldiers, who fear they are under constant surveillance.

The operation in Sevastopol has given Putin and his Kremlin apparatchiks a painful nosebleed and, more importantly, it is a triumph that shows that Ukraine can fight smart. But like any such blow, this one must be struck again and again – until Russia is finally defeated.

Mark Galeotti is an honorary professor at University College London School of Slavonic and East European Studies and author of 24 books on Russia, including a biography of Putin

Top Russian admiral ‘killed in missile attack by Ukraine’

By Andy Jehring

The Russian commander of the Black Sea Fleet was killed in a rocket attack in occupied Crimea, Kiev claimed yesterday.

Viktor Sokolov, 61, was reportedly one of 34 officers wiped out at his headquarters on Friday by Storm Shadows supplied by Britain and France.

The admiral was selected by Vladimir Putin to restore the fleet’s pride after the loss of its flagship Moskva last year.

But Ukraine’s special operations force says he was killed in the attack on the Sevastopol base that wounded 105. Minsk, a large landing ship, was also hit by Kiev, claiming that 62 crew members were killed.

A spokesperson said: ‘After the destruction of the Russian Black Sea Fleet headquarters, 34 officers were killed, including the commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Another 105 occupiers were injured. The headquarters is beyond repair.”

Sokolov, who had served in the Pacific Fleet, is one of the highest-ranking Russian commanders killed in the war. Moscow imposed a news blackout after the blast, indicating the consequences were serious. The Black Sea Fleet moved to Sevastopol after Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014.

On the front line, Ukraine has made some breaches of Russian defenses, but at the cost of heavy casualties.

Moscow has also continued its rocket attacks, killing four in an attack on Odesa on Sunday evening. Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine’s Economy Minister, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Another massive attack on Odesa! The attack resulted in the destruction of grain storage facilities and significant damage to the seaport.”

US-made Abrams main battle tanks are beginning to arrive in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced yesterday.

On the Telegram messaging app, he said: “The Abrams tanks have already reached Ukraine and are undergoing preparations to reinforce our brigades.”

The US has also said it will soon deliver a small number of the Army Tactical Missile Systems, ballistic weapons with a range of 300 kilometers. Meanwhile, a UN report shows that Russian occupiers tortured Ukrainians so brutally that some victims died, while also forcing families to listen as they raped women.

Erik Mose, chairman of a commission of inquiry into Ukraine, told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that his team had gathered “further evidence indicating that the use of torture by Russian forces in the areas under their control is widespread and systematic.”

He added: “In some cases, the torture was carried out in such a brutal manner that it caused the death of the victim. Russian soldiers raped and committed sexual violence against women ranging in age from 19 to 83.”

Moscow was given the opportunity to respond to the allegations during the council hearing, but no Russian representative was present. The leading UN expert on the abuse claimed yesterday that torture was Russian “state policy”.

Dr. Alice Jill Edwards, an Australian lawyer, told The Times: ‘It’s not just that widespread. The methods for doing it, the purposes for doing it, and the objectives are consistent.”