Russian Black Sea Fleet commander Sokolov killed in Crimea strike, Ukraine says

Ukraine said Monday it had killed the commander of Russia s Black Sea Fleet in a missile strike on the naval headquarters in occupied Crimea.

It comes days after an attack that left the building smoldering, the latest salvo in a mounting effort to target the Kremlin s naval forces and isolate the annexed peninsula.

Kyiv did not provide evidence for the claim, which NBC News has not verified, but if confirmed it would be one of the most high-profile losses of the war so far.

Ukraine s Special Operations Forces said in a post on Telegram that the commander of the Black Sea Fleet was among 34 officers who died in the strike on the fleet s headquarters in the Crimean city of Sevastopol on Friday.

The commander of the fleet is Viktor Sokolov, although the Ukrainian statement did not name him directly.

via www.nbcnews.com