Sunk or not sunk – that is the question that is currently worrying observers in the case of the Russian warship “Moskva”.
One thing is certain: the ship was badly damaged in an explosion on Wednesday night in the Black Sea off the coast of Ukraine. What triggered the explosion – a Ukrainian attack or the crew’s own fault – is currently just as unclear as the exact condition of the ship. Here’s an overview of what we know and don’t know:
What is known about the situation on the ship?
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on “CNN” early Thursday afternoon that the “Moskva” had not sunk, but was significantly damaged. Ukraine had previously claimed the ship had already sunk. The Ukrainian military later said the ship had capsized and was sinking.
The Russian Ministry of Defense presented it differently: The fire on the “Moskva” was contained. The warship will now be towed back to port. The fire broke out after ammunition exploded on board the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The ship’s crew – around 500 men and women – had been brought to safety.
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The most important weapons of the “Moskva” were not damaged and the ship was not in danger of sinking. An investigation has been launched, the agencies said in a statement from the Defense Ministry. Russia did not provide any information about a possible Ukrainian attack. During the night, Ukraine reported that it had fired on the ship.
According to an insider, the United States assumes that a fire will continue to be fought on board the damaged missile cruiser. It is assumed that the warship is headed for Sevastopol, says a senior US military official who declined to be named. The ship apparently suffered serious damage, and the fire was probably very extensive.
Whatever the current situation with the ship, experts assume that the “Moskva” is no longer operational for the time being. That would be a heavy blow to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The “Moskva” is the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The warship is reportedly carrying 16 P1000 Wulkan anti-ship missiles and a variety of other weapon systems, including anti-submarine weapons.
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What role did the ship play in the invasion?
The “Moskva” is considered to be Russia’s most important and powerful warship in the Black Sea. It was built in the Ukrainian city of Mykolayiv during Soviet times and went into operation in 1983, according to Russian media reports. It was later overhauled and brought up to date with the latest technical standards.
According to the TASS news agency, the warship and its 510 crew members were in the eastern Mediterranean in 2015 to protect the Russian Hmeimim air force base in Syria.
At the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the “Moskva” was deployed near the Romanian border and had attacked the Ukrainian island of snakes. When the soldiers stationed there refused to surrender, 19 men were taken prisoner by the Russians.
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According to a report by the British Royal Navy, the “Moskva” remained relatively far away from contested areas such as the strategically important port of Odessa. With long-range missiles on board, she is said to have been used to patrol and defend a large area in the northern Black Sea.
The ship is also said to have played a role in securing the airspace in southern and eastern Ukraine. So it would be conceivable that Ukraine could operate in the airspace there a little more safely in the future.
What exactly led to the explosion and possible wreck of the “Moskva”?
So far it is completely unclear how the incident happened. According to Ukrainian statements, the ship was attacked from land with the anti-ship missile “Neptun”. A drone could also have been used. Either to give the exact position of the ship or to distract the ship’s defenses.
According to a CNN report, it would have been the first known use of the Neptune anti-ship missile against Russia. The weapon was developed in Ukraine on the basis of the Soviet KH-35 cruise missile and has been part of the armed forces’ arsenal since last year.
It is also conceivable that British anti-ship missiles called Harpoon were used, which London recently promised to deliver. It was recently unclear whether they are already in Ukraine.
Russia’s explanation that it was an accident on the ship that triggered the explosion is considered unlikely, but not impossible.
How important was the ship for Russia?
If the “Moskva” was actually destroyed, it would already be the second large warship that Russia loses during the invasion. At the end of March, Ukraine reported a missile attack on a Russian landing ship in the port of Berdyansk. Images on social media had shown a large fire on board a ship. The attack also targeted Russian military supply routes.
But the loss of the ship would not only be strategic for the Russian military, experts say. Also symbolically, it would hit the armed forces hard. “Warships are floating pieces of national territory,” said Alessio Patalano, professor of warfare at London’s King’s College, to “CNN”. “If these are hit, and then a flagship as well, it is not only a military loss, but also has outstanding political and symbolic significance.” (with AFP)
