Russia's Pacific Fleet Commander Resigns a Week After 'Surprise Inspection'

The commander of Russia's Pacific Fleet has resigned, Russian President Vladimir Putin's representative in the country's Far East announced on Thursday.

Putin's envoy, Yury Trutnev, said that Admiral Sergei Avakyants, 65, has been appointed the head of a group that is in charge of military sports training and patriotic education, Russia news outlet Kommersant reported. Avakyants had held the position as commander of the Pacific Fleet since 2012.

News of his resignation comes a week after Russia decided to conduct missile launches and torpedo tests as part of a "surprise inspection" of its Pacific Fleet. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on state television on April 14 that its objective "is to increase the ability of the Armed Forces to repel the aggression of a probable enemy from the direction of ocean and sea."

"Avakyants, who until recently commanded the Pacific Fleet, will be in charge of the headquarters," Trutnev said. He was referring to the centers for military sports training and patriotic education.

According to state-run news agency Tass, pilot centers are being set up in 12 regions: Buryatia, Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, Kalmykia, Tatarstan, Chechen Republic, Khabarovsk Territory, Belgorod, Kemerovo, Pskov, Sverdlovsk, Tyumen regions and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.

The centers are scheduled to open in May, and at least 9,000 people are expected to be attend throughout the year. The centers will train and educate those aged between 14 and 35, including schoolchildren and students.

Avakyants was appointed commander of Russia's Pacific Fleet in May 2012. He was awarded the military rank of admiral on December 13, 2014.

Shoigu said the surprise inspection of the fleet aims to "evaluate the state and increase the readiness of military command, troops, and forces to undertake missions in all strategic directions." He added that it would repulse an enemy landing in the southern Kuril Islands and Sakhalin island.

The Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan and Habomai islands of the Kuril Island chain were seized by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. Tokyo says the islands are its "Northern Territories," and the issue has strained relations between Russia and Japan for decades. A peace treaty formally ending World War II has never been signed by the two countries. This was largely because of disputes over the group of islands claimed by Japan but occupied by Russia.

Because of their location between the large Japanese island of Hokkaido and Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, the Kuril Islands offer a number of military and political benefits.

Newsweek has contacted Russia's Defense Ministry by email for comment.

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