Vice Adm. Vladimir Korolyov will be appointed commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in August, a spokesman for the Russian Navy said on Tuesday.
Korolyov, currently a deputy commander of the Northern Fleet, will replace Vice Adm. Alexander Kletskov, who is due to retire in August.
"The official appointment of Vice Adm. Korolyov is scheduled for August this year," the spokesman said.
Russia's Black Sea Fleet is stationed in Ukraine's port of Sevastopol under a lease agreement. Moscow and Kiev recently signed a deal extending the lease on the fleet's base in Sevastopol for 25 years after the current lease expires in 2017.
President Dimitry Medvedev has instructed the Russian Defense Ministry to prepare a plan for the development of the Sevastopol base, which plays a key role in ensuring Russia's presence in the Black Sea region and the Mediterranean.
Russian Navy Commander Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky said last week that Russia's Black Sea Fleet will be reinforced with 15 new combat ships and diesel-electric submarines by 2020.
MOSCOW, June 29 (RIA Novosti)
