Ammunition depots on board the well-known warship “Moscow” have detonated, according to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense, writes BBC News.
A fire must have caused it all.
The state-run Russian news agency Ria Novosti reports that the ship is on fire, but from the Russian side it is said that the cause is unknown and will be investigated.
The warship is said to have suffered major damage.
Interfax reports that all crew on board have been evacuated.
The Russian naval vessel Moscow in 2013
Photo: STRINGER / Reuters
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Ukraine claims to be behind
The warship Moscow is said to have been hit by two Ukrainian missiles late Wednesday night, according to a Ukrainian official, writes The Guardian.
Neptune missiles guarding the Black Sea caused very serious damage to the Russian ship. Long live Ukraine, writes Odesa Governor Maksym Marchenko on the messaging service Telegram.
INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF WAR AND AEI’S CRITICAL THREATS PROJECT / NRK (Oppdatert 13.04.2022)
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Oleksiy Arestovych, adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, says that “a surprise happened with the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet”.
The ship “Moscow” is a cruiser. It is described as the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet also from the Russian side.
– It burns violently. Right now. And with this storm at sea, it is unclear whether they will be able to get help. There are 510 in the crew on board, he said in a live video on YouTube.
– We do not understand what happened, he added.
The Russian military has not confirmed or denied the Ukrainian allegations.
The warship “Moscow” became previously mentioned in the war when it asked Ukrainian forces, which defended the Snake Island in the Black Sea, to surrender, and received the answer:
– «To the Russian naval vessel: Go to hell.
The United States gives new 800 million dollars to Ukraine
US President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that they are giving Ukraine another 800 million dollars in military aid, reports Reuters.
It includes, among other things, helicopters, armored vehicles, and “kamikaze drones”.
– We can not rest now. I have assured President Zelensky that the American people will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine and their struggle for freedom, writes President Biden.
In his evening speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj expressed gratitude to President Biden, following the promise of more military equipment.
He also said that if Russia fails to work towards a peace agreement, they should leave the international community forever, writes the BBC.
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