The Russian missile cruiser “Moscow” was on fire until Thursday night after it was hit by Ukrainian missiles. Now Russia’s Defense Ministry confirms that the ship has sunk.
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According to the Russian news agency RIA Russia’s Defense Ministry confirms that the Russian missile cruiser “Moscow” has sunk.
When “Moscow” was to be towed to the port of destination, the ship lost stability due to damage to the hull as a result of the fire from the detonation of ammunition, the Ministry of Defense writes according to RIA. In stormy sea the ship sank.
According to the news agency TASS, the Ministry of Defense says that the crew has evacuated to other ships in the area.
On Wednesday night, Ukrainian authorities claimed that “Moscow” had been hit by two Ukrainian Neptune missiles and was on fire.
Russia confirmed Thursday night that the missile cruiser was on fire, but claimed that detonated ammunition on board was the cause.
No photos of the ship have been shared yet.
Extensive damage
On Thursday afternoon, the Pentagon said in an update to a number of journalists that the ship was still fighting the flames. The ship must have extensive damage.
According to the Pentagon, the incident happened about 60 nautical miles – or about 110 kilometers – from land, which should be within range of the Neptune missiles.
However, the Pentagon would not determine what caused the fire.
The United States then assumed that the ship was on its way to Sevastopol in Crimea for repairs. Several other Russian warships are said to have moved further away from land.
Claimed the ship had sunk
– Where is «Moscow»? She drowned.
Adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Oleksiy Arestovych, claimed on Thursday morning that the Russian warship “Moscow” had sunk after Ukrainian attacks.
On Thursday morning, several hours after Ukraine said “Moscow” had “drowned”, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that the ship was still floating. Then on Thursday night came the news that the naval vessel had sunk.
–The Kremlin and the Pentagon rejected claims
Russia claimed earlier Thursday that it had control of the fire on the ship and said they were in the process of investigating the cause of the fire.
The ship’s most important weapons and ammunition must be undamaged in the fire, and work was done to tow the ship back to a port, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced. On Thursday night, the news came that the ship had sunk.
The United States also denied earlier Thursday that the Russian flagship had sunk and did not confirm Ukraine’s claims that it was hit by missiles.
– We are not entirely sure what happened. Our assessment is that there was an explosion, at least one explosion on the ship, a fairly large one as well. It caused extensive damage to the ship, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said CNN.
– Our assessment is also that the ship can continue and that it does this. It now appears to be heading east. We assume that it will dock in Sevastopol for repairs, said Kirby.
– Very potent air defense
War captain and researcher at the Naval War College, Tor Ivar Strømmen, told VG on Thursday morning that the ship had no doubt been hit and that it was probably Ukrainian Neptune missiles.
“She has been hit, no doubt,” he said.
“Moscow” basically has triple air defense, Strømmen explains:
Long-range and short-range anti-aircraft missiles, as well as Gatling cannons at close range. The ship provides air defense not only for itself, but for many other Russian forces in the immediate area.
Thus, the air defense can not have worked, said Strømmen.
– In that case, it is human error or technical error, I do not know. The ship basically has a very potent air defense, said Strømmen.
– In principle, it should not be a problem for “Moscow” to handle an attack with such missiles, Strømmen said.
Pentagon: Cannot deny or confirm
The huge missile cruiser was built in the 80’s and was considered the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
The head of the county administration in Odesa, Maksim Marchenko, wrote on Telegram already on Wednesday night that “Moscow” had been hit by Neptune missiles and had received very serious damage.
The ship was seriously damaged in the fire, and the entire crew was evacuated, Russian authorities confirmed Thursday night.
Here is Marchenko’s message:
–Can be ugly loss
“Moscow” was the largest vessel Russia has in its Black Sea Fleet. It was a missile cruiser that was originally built to attack American aircraft carriers during the Cold War, according to Strømmen.
Russia has three such ships. The other two, which belong to the Pacific Fleet and the Northern Fleet, are currently in the Mediterranean and look after the American aircraft carrier “Harry S. Truman”.
“Moscow” was a fairly old ship that was less upgraded than the other two ships. It was old not only this year, but also in technical condition, according to Strømmen.
Lieutenant Colonel Palle Ydstebø at the War School said earlier on Thursday that it is conceivable that the ship has been hit by Ukrainian missiles, but that it still requires verification before it can possibly be established.
– If it has gone down, it is an ugly loss for Russia both militarily and in terms of prestige, Ydstebø said.
“Even if it has only been hit by Ukrainian missiles and has not gone down, it is still a loss for Russia that they let it be hit,” said Ydstebø.
–Asked to “go to hell”
“Moscow” is the main ship in the Atlantic class, in NATO also known as the “slave”. The ship is part of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
It’s the same ship as Ukrainian border guards on Slangeøya asked “Go to hell” at the beginning of the invasion.
– It has been confirmed that “Moscow” went exactly where it was sent by our border guards on Slangeøya, Marchenko writes in Odessa’s county administration very eloquently.
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