Two Ukrainian government authorities said on Wednesday that the flagship of the Russian Navy’s Black Sea fleet had suffered a fire and explosion reportedly from two missile hits, with Russian state outlets later on confessing that the vessel had actually incurred major damages.
The guided-missile cruiser Moskva pounded Snake Island at the onset of the battle with Ukraine, spurring profane defiance from Ukrainian servicemen that were ordered to surrender. The moment became a sign of the country’s resistance.
Maksym Marchenko, governor of Odessa in southwest Ukraine, said the vessel had been struck with missiles, according to The Guardian.
The head of the #Odessa regional administration, Maxim Marchenko, confirms the information that the #Russian missile cruiser "Moskva" was attacked by "Neptune" anti-ship missiles and got serious damage. pic.twitter.com/N9jovoEp66
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) April 13, 2022
“Neptune missiles guarding the Black Sea caused very serious damage to the Russian ship. Glory to Ukraine!” Marchenko wrote on Telegram.
Oleksiy Arestovych, an assistant to Ukraine s head of state, claimed only that “a surprise happened” with Moskva which the ship could have as many as 510 crewmen on board.
“In the Black Sea operational zone, Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles hit the cruiser Moskva, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet — it received significant damage,” the statement said. “A fire broke out. Other units of the ship’s group tried to help, but a storm and a powerful explosion of ammunition overturned the cruiser and it began to sink.”
As reports of the damage circulated, the Russian state-run publicity networks RIA Novosti as well as TASS claimed a fire on the vessel had created an explosion of ammo. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that Moskva has been evacuated but that the vessel “remains afloat”
На ракетном крейсере "Москва" в результате пожара сдетонировал боезапас https://t.co/hHQ6KJ0F4s pic.twitter.com/LMZNd6RUW5
— РИА Новости (@rianru) April 13, 2022
“As a result of a fire, ammunition detonated on the Moskva missile cruiser. The ship was seriously damaged. The crew was completely evacuated,” the Russian Defense Ministry said, according to TASS.
The Moskva isn’t the very first Russian ship to take significant damage during the war with Ukraine.
An amphibious attack ship was bombed as well as damaged in the occupied port of Berdyansk last month, with fires as well as effective surges noticeable from miles away.
The damage to Moskva would be the most humiliating loss for the Russian military in the entire conflict.
H/T Western Journal
