Black Sea Fleet will have new commander in August

02.06.2010 New Black Sea Fleet (BSF) Commander will be appointed in Aug 2010. Current BSF Commander Vice Admiral Alexander Kletskov will be retired on reaching age limit. Change of BSF leadership had been scheduled on last week, although was postponed, reports Rosbalt referring to experts of Nomos Analytic Center.

Presumably, new BSF Commander could be Vice Admiral Sergei Menyailo who presently holds a post of BSF Deputy Commander. Menyailo was appointed to this post in July 2009. Prior to that, he was commander of naval base Novorossiysk.

Sergei Menyailo headed Russian naval campaign in Abkhazian territorial waters during the war in South Ossetia. In particular, he was commander of task unit delivered Russian peacekeeping force to the combat area.

Alexander Kletskov who turns 55 in August has been holding a post of BSF Commander since 2007. Formerly, he headed Baltic Fleet HQ.