War in Ukraine: Moskva cruiser, the flagship of the Russian fleet, suffered “serious damage”

“Serious damage” suffered the main missile cruiser of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy, Moskva (“Moscow”)after part of the ammunition was blown up on its deck after a fire, according to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense, quoted by Russian news agencies.

“Due to the fire, there was an explosion of ammunition in Moscow, which he was carrying. The ship has been severely damaged. The crew was evacuated, “the Defense Ministry said, according to Russian news agencies TASS, RIA Novosti and Interfax.

The agencies did not specify the position of the cruiser.

Ukrainian officials have previously claimed that the Russian cruiser was hit by rockets against surface ships Neptune. This information cannot be independently verified.

“Neptune missiles protecting the Black Sea have caused extensive damage to this Russian ship,” said Maxim Martchenko, the Ukrainian governor of the Odessa region (south), as quoted by international news agencies and the Athenian News Agency.

On March 24, one month after its start Russian invasion of UkraineThe Ukrainian Navy says it has destroyed the Saratov, a Russian naval barge anchored in the port of Berdyansk near Mariupol in the Sea of ​​Azov.

Moscow has not confirmed reports that the amphitheater was destroyed. The Russian military rarely reports on its casualties in the war.

Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidency, also spoke on YouTube about Ukrainian strikes on the cruiser, calling it a “surprise to the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.”

“It is burning with great intensity. Now. And with the turmoil, it’s impossible to know if they can help. “he added, adding that “510 crew members” are on board.

Moskva was involved in the early days of the offensive against the Black Sea island of Snakes near the Romanian border, when 19 members of the Ukrainian navy were captured and later exchanged for Russian prisoners.

The Soviet-designed cruiser was put into service in 1983, when it was called Slava (“Glory”). It changed its name (“Moscow”) after the dissolution of the former Soviet Union. Equipped with sixteen P-1000 Vulcan surface-to-air missile launchers, as well as various anti-submarine and anti-aircraft weapons, the cruiser was deployed in the second half of 2015 in the eastern Mediterranean to protect Russian Hmeimim air base in Syria, according to TASS.

Source: News Beast

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