Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy fulfills the most cherished dream of Ukrainian nationalists In Sevastopol, persistent rumors are circulating that the bonus coefficient will be reduced for officers and civil servants of the Black Sea Fleet. This ratio, introduced...

Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy fulfills the most cherished dream of Ukrainian nationalists

IN

There are persistent rumors in Sevastopol that the bonus coefficient will be reduced for officers and civil servants of the Black Sea Fleet. This coefficient, introduced after the Black Sea Fleet acquired the status of a military formation on the territory of another state, allowed sailors and civilian employees to receive an order of magnitude more than their counterparts in other fleets.

The most gloomy local analysts predict an avalanche of resignation reports. And as a result - the most severe personnel crisis, which will call into question the combat readiness of the fleet. Even now, when appointing commanders of even the most responsible units, there is no competition, despite the fact that Black Sea Fleet officers receive very decent salaries by Ukrainian standards. It's just that in civilian life they, as qualified specialists, are given better offers.

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Normally, the decision to reduce the coefficient will be made by the Ministry of Finance, but it is clear that it cannot but be coordinated with the structures of the Ministry of Defense. Therefore, many tend to see a connection between the upcoming pay cuts and the conflict between two namesake admirals with similar names: Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Vladimir Kuroyedov and Commander of the Black Sea Fleet Vladimir Komoyedov.

The commander-in-chief wants to remove the commander at all costs. There were no organizational grounds for dismissal (numerous inspections carried out according to the schedule and beyond it in Sevastopol during 2001 did not give the expected results). Then the old injury of Komoyedov, received while still serving in the Baltic Fleet, surfaced. The Commander-in-Chief began talking about the need for a medical re-examination of his subordinate since last autumn. But then the doctors considered that the commander of the Black Sea Fleet was partially fit for service: he could be at sea for no more than three months.

Despite this, in June the commander-in-chief informed Komoyedov that he was releasing him from his post. In response, the Sevastopol admiral filed a complaint with the Novorossiysk garrison court. According to the results of a new medical examination, Komoyedov was declared unfit for service in the crew. Now his fate must be decided by the Minister of Defense.

Kuroyedov knew about the commander's state of health better than many of his colleagues: at one time they served together in the Baltic. It was as an old colleague that he recommended Komoyedov to Sevastopol in 1998. Then the commander of the Black Sea Fleet was considered "the man of the commander in chief." And suddenly the situation changed in a mirror. Since the press service of the Black Sea Fleet does not give any comments on this subject “for ethical reasons”, we can only be content with rumors circulating around the city. Some officers believe that the conflict between the admirals is a purely personal quarrel.

But there is another version, according to which the elimination of Komoyedov is only part of a larger plan to create an image of the indispensability of the commander-in-chief himself. Kuroyedov has been in a state of permanent promotion for several years now. But Putin's personal friend wants to leave, staying. That is why he is pursuing a consistent policy for the survival of talented and promising admirals.

Even before the appointment of the current commander-in-chief in 1997, it was rumored that the first deputy, Igor Kasatonov, would take this position. But in October 1999, he was forced to resign. The current chief of the General Staff, Viktor Kravchenko, is also in a state of conflict with Kuroyedov. Rumor has it that back in March of this year, he was ready to write a report.

As for the next command link, there is a personnel vacuum. An illustration of this is the dizzying career of Admiral Suchkov. Back in the mid-1990s, the Black Sea Fleet was going to retire him, the first deputy commander, with honor. But an unexpected appointment to the post of commander of the Pacific Fleet followed. When it was necessary to present a candidate for the Northern Fleet, they again remembered Suchkov, although he was a diesel submariner, and a nuclear engineer was required. There were simply no such in the Russian fleet.

By the way, about the Northern Fleet. In 2000, there was a strong opinion that Vyacheslav Popov would become Kuroyedov's successor. But even this figure had to be sacrificed after the tragedy at the Kursk.

And now, against the dull background of the Russian admiralty, only one figure props up the proudly towering commander-in-chief - Admiral Komoyedov. He is the youngest of the commanders of the fleets. The current commander of the Black Sea Fleet is credited with the return of the fleet to the Mediterranean Sea (the transfer of Russian "blue berets" to Kosovo in 1999), the commissioning of the Moskva missile cruiser, the strengthening of the SU-24 naval aviation, the participation of the Marine Corps of the Black Sea Fleet in the Chechen operation . During his first visit to Sevastopol, President Vladimir Putin presented the Commander of the Black Sea Fleet with the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III degree. And the President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma awarded him the Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky.

That is, the whole point of the undertaking with a medical examination was reduced to one thing - to remove the last competitor. At least, this is how many officers in Sevastopol interpret the situation.

Apparently, there was another plan. There have long been rumors that the Black Sea Fleet will be reduced to a flotilla. In this case, the Sevastopol admiral would be automatically excluded from the candidates for the position of commander in chief (this appointment must be preceded by certain career steps).

So far, all these alignments are being discussed almost exclusively in military circles. Learn about them Ukrainian patriots, they would be incredibly surprised and delighted. For them, even a partial expulsion of the Black Sea Fleet from Sevastopol is a pipe dream.

In this regard, it is not entirely clear why it is necessary to destabilize the situation in the fleet by reducing monetary allowances. And if this is really the commander-in-chief's revenge on the commander, will he get away with such an initiative? However, Kuroyedov has already been forgiven for the two-fold reduction in the total ship composition of the Russian fleet, and the fall in the prestige of the naval service, and even the Kursk.