Ukraine Says Its Missile Hit Russian Warship That Sank In Black Sea, Blast Heard In Kyiv Too
Russia said its lead warship in the Black Sea sank on Thursday after an explosion and fire that Ukraine claimed was caused by a missile strike, dealing a blow to Moscow as it readied for new attacks that were likely to determine the conflict's outcome.
Ukraine's missile attack hit the ship
Russian state news agency TASS reported Thursday evening that the guided-missile cruiser Moskva had sunk, citing a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense.
"During the towing of the cruiser Moskva to the port of destination, the ship lost its stability due to hull damage received during a fire from the detonation of ammunition. In the conditions of stormy seas, the ship sank," the statement said, according to TASS.? ?
Russia said earlier that over 500 crew aboard the Soviet-era missile cruiser were evacuated after ammunition on board exploded. Ukraine said it hit the warship with a Ukrainian-made Neptune anti-ship missile.
Conditions that led the ship to sink
"In the Black Sea operational zone, Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles hit the cruiser Moskva, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet -- it received significant damage," the statement said. "A fire broke out. Other units of the ship's group tried to help, but a storm and a powerful explosion of ammunition overturned the cruiser and it began to sink."
Russia, which has not acknowledged an attack, said the incident is under investigation. "While the cruiser 'Moskva' was being towed to the destination port, the ship lost stability due to damage to the hull from the fire," the defence ministry said.
Current situation in war-hit Ukraine
The incident came as Russia's navy continues its bombardment of Ukrainian cities on the Black Sea nearly 50 days after it launched the invasion.
Residents of Odesa and Mariupol, on the adjacent Azov Sea, have been bracing for new Russian attacks.Russian forces have pulled back from some northern parts of Ukraine after suffering heavy losses and failing to take the capital Kyiv.
Ukraine and its Western allies say Moscow is redeploying for a new offensive in the eastern Donbas region.Russia launched its assault in part to dissuade Ukraine from joining NATO.?But the invasion has pushed Finland, which shares a long border with Russia, and nearby Sweden to consider joining the U.S.-led military alliance.
Moscow warned NATO on Thursday that if Sweden and Finland join, Russia would deploy nuclear weapons and hypersonic missiles in a Russian enclave on the Baltic Sea, in the heart of Europe.
