The cruiser Moskvathe flagship of its fleet Black Seais (or was) a warship of high symbolic valuewhich, in addition to its involvement in military operations, was an instrument of Russian diplomacy. He was seriously injured during the war in Ukraine.
The Soviet origin
The one armed with missiles Atlant heavy class cruiserlength 186 meterswas put into service in 1983the Soviet era, with name Slava (Glory). His mission is the destruction of aircraft carriers.
It was renamed Moskva in May 1995. It is armed with 16 Bazalt / Voulkan anti-ship missiles, Fort missiles, the naval version of the S-300 long-range missiles, and Ossa short-range missiles. It also has rocket launchers, cannons and torpedoes.
According to the agency Ria Novosti, Moskva updated twice in its history, the second in the period 2018-2020.
Its crew consists of 680 men, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Photo of the Russian Ministry of Defense from the cruiser Moskva on the Black Sea near Sevastopol on February 18, 2012
Three wars
His first war was the Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008. Russia has not provided information on its missions, but according to a high-ranking Georgian official, the Russian cruiser entered the port of Ochamchire to bomb in Contori Valley the Georgian military, which then lost control of the last zone they still held in the breakaway region of Abkhazia.
The then president of Russia Dmitry Medvedev had expressed his “gratitude” to the warship’s crew for his “courage and determination” during the conflict.
After the intervention of Russia on his side Bashar al-Assad in the war in SyriaMoskva was developed from September 2015 to January 2016 in Eastern Mediterranean to secure, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the “air defense” of its Russian base Hmeimim.
Shortly afterwards, Vladimir Putin awarded the entire crew with the Nakhimov Medalfor his “courage and determination”.
From Sevastopol, Crimeawhich forms the basis of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Moskva participates in the attack launched on February 24, 2022 by Vladimir Putin against Ukraine.
In wireless conversation at the beginning of the war and since acquired legendary dimensions and imprinted on Ukrainian stampthe little one’s border guards Snake Island they replied “Come and go …” on the Russian cruiser when asked to surrender. Shortly afterwards, Moskva and Vassili Bykov bombed the island. Members of the Ukrainian border guard were taken prisoner.
Vladimir Putin with Egyptian President Al-Sisi in the cruiser Moskva in 2014
Diplomatic missions
The cruiser Moskva, when it was still called Slava, participated in the Malta summitbetween Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and the US President George W. Bushwhich took place on board Maxime Gorki in December 1989, shortly after fall of the Berlin Wall.
The ship also participated in Yalta Nuclear Disarmament Conference in August 1990.
He has sailed the seas participating in military training and has visited many European, Asian and African ports.
It has also hosted foreign leaders. Vladimir Putin welcomed him there with military honors in August 2014 in Sochi President of Egypt Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi or, during his visit to Italy, the then Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News
and be the first to know all the news
