Topline
Russia’s Defense Ministry claims fire onboard the Russian warship Moskva has been put out and the ship remains afloat, Russian news agencies said Thursday, contradicting statements by Ukraine, which says the warship began sinking after it was hit by missiles the previous day.
Key Facts
Russia’s Defense Ministry said, "The source of ignition on the cruiser Moskva has been localized” and ammunition onboard have stopped exploding, according to the Russian news agency RIA.
The flagship of Russia's Black Sea fleet remains afloat and its missile systems were not affected by what Russia claims was a fire onboard, Russian news agency TASS reported.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the crew, usually around 500 sailors, have evacuated to “other Black Sea Fleet ships in the area,” and that the cause of the fire was not yet clear, the publication said.
The damage to the warship that carries 16 missiles will likely significantly impact Russia’s combat power in the Black Sea, the Associated Press reported.
What We Don’t Know
The cause of the damage to the warship. The governor of Ukraine’s Odessa region claims two Ukrainian-made Neptune cruise missiles struck the warship, causing “serious damage.” The ship started to sink after the alleged attack, according to the Ukrainian military. Russia claims a fire onboard was behind the damage to the warship, and that the fire caused the explosion of ammunition on the ship. If Ukraine’s claim turns out to be accurate, the incident would mark another blow to Russia’s combat power.
Further Reading
A Russian warship is ‘seriously damaged’ in the Black Sea. Conflicting explanations emerge. (New York Times)
Ukrainian Military Claims It Has Blown Up A Bridge Carrying A Russian Convoy In Kharkiv (Forbes)
One Of Russia’s Biggest Cruisers May Have Sank Near Ukraine (Forbes)
