The loss of the cruiser Moskva, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which sank on Thursday, is a “severe blow” to Russian forces in the region, said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.
“It will have an impact on their operational capabilities, because this particular ship was a ‘key’ in their efforts to consolidate ‘naval dominance in the Black Sea,'” Kirby told CNN.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, during the towing of the cruiser Moskva in port, the ship lost its stability due to damage to the hull by the explosion of ammunition. “In rough seas, the ship sank,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that the crew had been evacuated.
Russia’s Defense Ministry spoke of a “fire” and an “explosion of ammunition”, without mentioning a Ukrainian attack.
In the early hours of Thursday, however, the southern military command of the Ukrainian army had announced that it had hit the Russian cruiser Moskva with Neptune missiles, causing great material damage.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News
and be the first to know all the news
