A high-ranking commander in Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, Valery Trankovsky, was killed in a car bomb attack on Wednesday in Sevastopol, Crimea, with reports suggesting the attack was carried out by Ukraine’s Security Service.
Trankovsky, who led the 41st brigade of missile ships, was targeted in retaliation for his role in ordering missile strikes on civilian sites in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian security sources.
Russia’s Investigative Committee condemned the incident as an act of terrorism, although it has not officially confirmed Trankovsky’s identity, referring to the victim only as “Valery T.”
Baza, a Telegram channel connected to Russian security services, described Trankovsky as a “captain first rank” in the Black Sea Fleet and a former chief of staff for its missile ship brigade. Visuals shared online showed smoke rising from the charred remains of his vehicle after the explosion.
Trankovsky is the latest in a series of pro-war Russian figures allegedly targeted by Ukraine. His name had been listed on Ukraine’s Myrotvorets database, an unofficial list of individuals identified as enemies of Ukraine. Following his assassination, his profile on the site was marked as “Liquidated” in red.
Russia has frequently deployed its Black Sea Fleet to launch missile strikes against Ukraine, resulting in significant civilian casualties, further fueling tensions in the region.
