The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation: the cruiser "Moscow" sank while being towed to the destination port
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, the missile cruiser "Moscow" sank. According to the ministry, this happened during towing to the port in a storm - due to hull damage caused by fires from detonation of ammunition. His crew was evacuated to the ships of the Black Sea Fleet located in the area.
Late on Thursday evening, April 14, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Guards missile cruiser of the Black Sea Fleet "Moscow" sank.
Information that the cruiser "Moscow" was seriously damaged appeared on the night of April 14. The crew of the ship was evacuated to other ships of the Black Sea Fleet - according to RIA Novosti, this is 500 people. On the morning of April 14, it was reported that the fire was localized.
It was clarified that the vessel remained buoyant, and its main missile armament was not damaged. Measures were taken to tow the cruiser to the port, TASS reports.
History of the Black Sea Fleet flagship
"Moscow" is the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, the lead ship of project 1164 "Atlant". It was put into operation in 1983 under the name "Glory". In 1996, the cruiser received its current name - after the decommissioning of the anti-submarine cruiser "Moscow" project 1123.
In 2008-2009, the cruiser participated in naval exercises in the Mediterranean Sea, in the command and staff exercises "Vostok-2010", "Caucasus-2012", Russian-Chinese maneuvers "Bridge of Friendship - 2015", etc.
From September 2015 to January 2016, he covered the Hmeimim base of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria from the sea.
By the decree of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin dated May 16, 2016, he was awarded the Order of Nakhimov "for merits in ensuring the security of the state, high performance in combat training, courage and dedication shown by the personnel during the performance of combat training tasks."
Operation at Snake Island
On February 24, the Russian Federation launched a special military operation in Ukraine. The Russian Navy was most active in the first days of the operation. "The ships of the Black Sea Fleet destroyed the naval base in Ochakov, damaged and flooded most of the Navy pennants, and also provided fire support to the marines during the capture of the island of Zmeiny. The surviving boats and support vessels of the Ukrainian Navy were forced to relocate to Odessa. The naval theater of military operations was completely left to Russia. Now the Black Sea Fleet has auxiliary functions in the interests of land groups.
However, the Ukrainian military managed to deliver a sensitive blow to the Navy. On March 24, the AFU fired missiles at the port of Berdyansk, damaging two large amphibious ships. A strong fire broke out at the Saratov BDK, as a result it had to be flooded at the pier," the RIA Novosti publication notes.
The missile cruiser "Moscow" was of great importance and symbolic meaning for the residents of Sevastopol, Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev said on Friday, April 15.
"And of course, it hurts us all today," he wrote in his Telegram channel.
And he published a photo of the ship in 2008, which shows how a cruiser entering Sevastopol Bay is greeted with Russian flags on the shore and on small vessels.
Grigory Plakuchev
