3 Admirals Linked to Kursk Are Demoted
Russia demoted three top navy commanders and sacked eight other admirals in a clear-out that some experts said was punishment for the Kursk nuclear submarine catastrophe in which 118 crewmen died.
Senior military officials denied a direct link with the Kursk disaster, but the demotions came just hours after President Vladimir V. Putin received a preliminary report from Russia’s top law officer into August 2000 naval exercises during which the Kursk sank.
Demoted were Northern Fleet commander Adm. Vyacheslav Popov, chief of staff Vice Adm. Mikhail Motsak and fleet commander Vice Adm. Oleg Burtsev.
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