The Ukrainian southern military claimed late Wednesday that it had hit Moscow with Neptune anti-ship missiles, causing it to sink and forcing the crew to leave the ship. Russia’s Defense Ministry initially denied reports that it had sunk and claimed the fires had been extinguished. Four Russian ships that had gone to rescue Moskva were being hampered by stormy weather and ammunition blasts on the ship, he said. But late Thursday, the ministry said in a statement: “The Moskva cruiser lost its stability when it was towed to port due to damage to the hull of the ship that suffered during the fire from the ammunition explosion. “In stormy sea conditions, the ship sank.” The crew was evacuated to other ships, the ministry said. The apparent attack and sinking of the Black Sea Fleet flagship – 50 days after Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine – represents a symbolic blow to the Kremlin. The Moskva was the pride of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and the most famous ship involved in the war against Ukraine. “The sinking of Moskva, the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, is not just a major loss, it is emblematic of the Russian military campaign,” said Michael Kofman, director of research at the Center for Naval Analysis in Russia. The ship was launched in 1983 and was armed with 16 Vulkan cruise missiles with a range of at least 440 miles (700 km). It also reportedly carried S-300 anti-aircraft missiles, which are vital to Russia’s air superiority over Crimea and the Ukrainian province of Kherson, now occupied by Russian troops. It is the most important naval vessel to sink since the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano was torpedoed by a British submarine, the HMS Conqueror in 1982. Western officials have described Ukrainian allegations that they hit Moscow with anti-ship missiles as “credible”. A senior U.S. defense official noted that five other Russian ships that were as close to or closer to the Ukrainian coast as Moskva had moved at least another 20 nautical miles offshore after the explosion, suggesting an attempt to escape the range of Ukrainian missiles. . Moskva gained notoriety early in the war when the crew demanded the surrender of Ukrainian forces to Snake Island, prompting a response from border guards on the island: “Russian warship, go fuck yourself.” The phrase immediately became a symbol of national contempt and is now a global meme. Appeared on a new national stamp as well as at checkpoints, shop windows, Ukrainian military vehicles and private cars.
