Russia has announced a replacement to head up its Northern Fleet, after previous commander Admiral Alexander Moiseev was promoted to become the overall head of the Russian navy. 

Reports suggested that Admiral Moiseev was moved up due to Kremlin dissatisfaction at the Russian’s naval performance in its war against Ukraine. 

This comes after a series of sustained Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, which is traditionally based in Crimea, the peninsula Moscow took from Kyiv in 2014.

Vice-Admiral Konstantin Kabantsov has now been appointed as acting commander of the Northern Fleet, according to the Russian defence ministry. 

The Northern Fleet is based in the Arctic and is thought to have around 32 warships and 33 submarines. 

Russia claims control over Donetsk village

The Russian defence ministry claims forces have captured the village of Tonenke in Donetsk. 

The village is located just northwest of the city of Donetsk, and around 8.5km west of Avdiivka, as you can see in the map below…

The ministry said forces had removed Ukrainian resistance and also occupied a railway station.

The Ukrainian Army General Staff said this morning troops had repelled 14 Russian army attacks near six villages in the eastern Donetsk region, including Tonenke. 

However, it has not commented on the Russian claims the village has fallen – which has not been independently verified. 

Russia has made steady gains in recent months and this capture – if confirmed – stands as the most significant since the fall of villages west of the city of Avdiivka a few weeks ago.