The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that the warship sank on Thursday, but claimed that it was due to a fire caused by an ammunition explosion. Ukraine says it sank the ship after hitting it with two rockets, but this has not been confirmed. No casualties were reported from Russia, but Ukraine claimed that its first captain, Anton Kupri, had been killed in the blast. Three days after the incident, Russia released a video showing Admiral Nikolai Gevlenov addressing about 100 officers and sailors in uniform. It is not clear when the silent footage was shot, but one of the officers looks like Captain Kupri. Russia’s Defense Ministry says Moskva sank in a stormy sea on Thursday following an ammunition fire. (via REUTERS) In an interview that appears at the end of the video, Admiral Yevmenov says that the officers and crew are currently stationed at their base in Sevastopol and will continue their service in the Navy. Moscow was the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, and reports of its sinking were described as a huge blow to Russian morale. The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that the crew was completely evacuated after the incident. The Moskva, launched in 1982, was armed with 16 Vulkan cruise missiles with a range of at least 700 km. Russia’s Black Sea flagship Moskva sank on Thursday, although no casualties were reported from Moscow. (EPA) Originally called the “Glory”, it is one of three Slava-class cruise missiles. Its port is Sevastopol on the illegally annexed Crimean peninsula. In April 2021, the Interfax news agency quoted a retired Russian admiral as saying that the 12,500-ton ship, which usually has a crew of about 500, was “the most serious ship in the Black Sea.” The warship is said to be carrying 64 S-300F Rif air-to-air missiles, making it an important element of Russian air defense over southern Ukraine. Last month, Ukraine said it had destroyed a large Russian landing aid ship, the Orsk, in the smaller Azov Sea northeast of the Black Sea. However, Russia still has a large fleet of cruisers, frigates, missile corvettes and amphibious ships operating off the coast of southern Ukraine. The Independent has a proud campaign history for the rights of the most vulnerable and we first launched our “Welcome Refugees” campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and start this report on In the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we call on the government to move faster and faster to secure aid. To learn more about our Refugee Campaign, click here. To sign the application click here. If you would like to donate, click here for our GoFundMe page.
