Two Russian journalists from and , who posed as family members, witnessed distraught widows and mothers howling at Putin, demanding to know why they were receiving so much conflicting information and who was going to be punished for the deaths of their family members.
It was one of the few vessels authorized to carry a combat load at all times.
Ivanov had retired from the military in 2000, so his appointment as minister of defence while a civilian shocked the Russian military.