The decommissioning of this emblematic building constitutes a major snub for the Russian army, while the Ukrainian authorities have claimed to have hit it with cruise missiles.
The cruiser Moskvaflagship of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea, damaged during the offensive against Ukraine, has sunk, announced Thursday evening April 14 the Russian Ministry of Defense.
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“When towing the cruiser Moskva to the port of destination, the ship lost its stability due to hull damage sustained in the fire from the detonation of ammunition. In rough sea conditions, the ship sank“said the ministry, quoted by the state agency TASS.
Ukraine claims to have hit it with missiles
This 186 meter long missile vessel had been “badly damagedby a fire which caused the explosion of ammunition and its crew of more than 500 men had to be evacuated, announced in the night the Russian Ministry of Defense. The latter then said Thursday morning that the fire had been contained and that the explosions had stopped. “The cruiser Moskva retains its buoyancyhe had said.
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The Ukrainian authorities for their part claimed to have struck with cruise missiles this flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet based in Sevastopol in Crimea. “Neptune missiles protecting the Black Sea caused major damage to this Russian ship“, assured the governor of the Odessa region, on the Black Sea, Maxime Marchenko. His remarks were confirmed by the spokesman for the military administration of this Ukrainian port city, Serguiï Bratchouk.
The decommissioning of this emblematic building, built in 1983 in the USSR, bearing the name of the Russian capital and previously engaged in the Russian campaign in Syria, constitutes a major snub for the Russian army.