Defense Ministry says 1 sailor died, but does not say ship was hit by Ukrainian missiles
The Russian Defense Ministry reported this Friday (April 22, 2022) that 1 sailor died and 27 are still missing after the sinking of the missile cruiser Moskva last week.
This is the first time that authorities in Moscow have referred to the crew of the warship, after days of tension and apprehension by the sailors’ families. The Kremlin, however, does not say that the Moskva would have sunk after being hit by Ukrainian missiles.
The loss of the ship, which led the Russian naval offensive in the Black Sea and played a central role in the siege of Mariupol, is one of the most negative episodes for Russian forces since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine.
“As a result of the fire on 13 April, the missile cruiser Moskva was severely damaged because of the detonation of munitions”the Defense Ministry said in a statement. “One soldier died and 27 crew members are missing.”
According to the agency, the other 396 crew members were removed from the vessel. Initially, Russian authorities had claimed that all the crew had been rescued.
Families demand information
The Pentagon in Washington (USA) said the Moskva sank after being hit by two Ukrainian missiles.
After the incident, family members of the sailors took to social media to demand information. Many families complained that they were missing and that they could not be located.
The Ministry of Defense assured that it provides “all necessary assistance and support for the families of the dead and the missing”and that the “absolute majority” of the rescued soldiers expressed a desire to continue to serve on other ships in the Black Sea Fleet.
When asked about the Moskva incident, Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that the Kremlin was not in a position to reveal details about the incident.
The independent news portal Meduza, published in Russian, reported that, according to a source close to the command of the Black Sea Fleet, 37 sailors had died in the sinking. Around 100 soldiers are said to be wounded, and the number of missing is unknown.
According to the report, there were around 500 people on board at the time the Moskva was hit.
Deutsche Welle is Germany’s international broadcaster and produces independent journalism in 30 languages.
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