Russia’s warship Moskva sinks after a suspected missile attack by Ukraine. According to the US, the loss has consequences for the Russian fleet.
+++ 5 p.m.: The reasons for the sinking of the “Moskva” are still not clear. Ukraine also claims to have sunk the warship with a missile attack. The Turkish Bayraktar-TB2 drones could also have been used, for example to distract the air defenses.
+++ 2 p.m.: According to the USA, the sinking of the “Moskva” has consequences for the operational capability of the Russian Navy in the Ukraine war. The Russian cruiser played a “key role” in Russia’s efforts to establish “naval dominance in the Black Sea,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told CNN.
With the loss of the Moskva, the Russian fleet not only loses a lot of firepower. Your warships could now be increasingly targeted by shore batteries. Because Ukraine has secured anti-ship missiles from Great Britain in addition to the “Neptune” missiles manufactured in its own country. In order to avoid these missiles, the Russian warships will probably have to increase the distance to the coast. Landing maneuvers like the one in Odessa are therefore much less likely.
Ukraine war: British secret service comments on sunken warship “Moskva”
+++ 1 p.m.: British intelligence has released a status report on the Russian Navy. It states that the situation after the sinking of the warship Moskva must be reassessed: “The ship was one of only three ‘Slava-class cruisers’ in the Russian Navy.” suffered damage to important naval equipment for the second time.” This statement probably refers to the Ukrainian attack on the “Saratov” ship in the port of Bergdyansk on March 24, 2022.
“Both events are likely to prompt Russia to review its maritime position in the Black Sea,” the British intelligence report said.
+++ 07.45 a.m.: According to the US Department of Defense, it is “probable” that there were fatalities and injuries in the sinking of the Russian warship “Moskva”. Up to 500 soldiers were on board, said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby. “I don’t know how many they brought down. We saw evidence that there were lifeboats and that some sailors were able to abandon ship,” he told CNN.
“But if it was hit by a missile – even if it was just an internal explosion that burned ammunition, like the Russians say – you will likely have dead and wounded on board.” According to a Ukrainian army spokesman, the ship was hit a rocket of the type “Neptun” the warship (see first report). The Kremlin denied this and spoke of an ammunition explosion on board and a consequence of the heavy seas.
First report from Friday, April 15, 2022, 7:00 a.m.: Kyiv/Odessa – On Thursday (April 14, 2022), the Russian army took what is probably its most important warship in the Ukraine war* lost. This is the missile cruiser Moskva, part of the Black Sea Fleet. The Ministry of Defense at Moscow* spoke of the fact that the military ship lost its “balance” and sank in heavy seas. According to the Kremlin, ammunition had exploded on board. Instead, the Ukrainian armed forces claimed the sinking of the “Moskva” for themselves. So far it is unclear who or what is actually responsible for the sinking of the warship.
The spokesman for the Ukrainian army in the port city of Odessa, Sergey Brachuk, had announced that the “Moskva” had been hit by Ukrainian “Neptune”-type missiles. Volodymyr Zelenskyy*, President of Ukraine*, alluded to the sunken Russian warship in a video address, praising those “who have shown that Russian ships can get to the bottom.”
“Heavy blow” for Russia in the Ukraine war: warship “Moskva” sinks
The US government rated this as a “major blow” to the Navy Russias*. The missile-equipped cruiser played a “key role” in the Russian army’s efforts to establish “naval dominance in the Black Sea,” US Defense Department spokesman John Kirby told CNN.
The “Moskva” built in Soviet times, together with other ships of the Black Sea Fleet, had blocked the southern Ukrainian port of Mariupol: There has been great suffering there for weeks, “hunger and need” dominate.* (tu/jfw with dpa/AFP) *fr.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
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