Kyiv/Moscow: The Russian navy’s Black Sea flagship has been “seriously damaged” by an ammunition explosion, Russian state media said on Thursday.
“As a result of a fire, ammunition detonated on the Moskva missile cruiser. The ship was seriously damaged,” the Defence Ministry was quoted as saying.
It further said that the cause of fire was yet to be determined but the crew were evacuated. This came hours after the Governor of Ukraine’s Odessa said that the Ukrainian forces have hit the Moskva with missile strikes.
Taking to Telegram, Maksym Marchenko said, “Neptune missiles guarding the Black Sea caused very serious damage to the Russian ship. Glory to Ukraine!”
Ukainian presidential advisor Oleksiy Arestovych said, “It burns strongly. Right now. And with this stormy sea, it is unknown whether they will be able to receive help…We don’t understand what happened.”
According to Voice of America, Moskva gained notoriety early in the war when it called on Ukrainian border troops defending the strategic Snake Island to surrender, only to be defiantly refused.
