Russia's flagship Navy vessel was towed into harbour toght, in a major humiliation for Vladimir Putin ’s war machine.
Explosions on board the 12,500-tonne Moskva, said to have been caused by two Ukrainian strikes, reportedly left up to 300 sailors dead, and forced its evacuation.
The cruiser was once the pride of Russia ’s Black Sea fleet, which Putin showed off to world leaders at the 2014 Sochi winter Olympics.
It represents a major blow to the invading force’s hope of sealing Ukraine off from its coast by taking the coastal city of Odessa.
A Ukrainian official said the attack was the biggest blow to the Russian navy since the Second World War.
Western military officials believe it is the first time a cruiser of its size has been hit so fiercely since the sinking of the General Belgrano in the Falklands War in 1982.
Analysts believe the sight of the 510-crew warship being repaired in the Crimean city of Sevastopol might enrage the Kremlin tyrant.
Ukraine’s Southern Military Command said it hit the 43-year-old ship 60 miles off Odessa late on Wednesday, starting a fire. Rescue vessels were hampered by ammunition exploding and weather.
The ship was described as a “sitting duck”, after sailing in predictable patterns within range of Ukraine’s coastal batteries.
Western military officials said the loss dealt a blow to “a Russian sense of pride in their military”.
“Whether it’s ineptitude on board or an attack by Ukrainian forces, it is a massive blow for Russian credibility,” they said.
“Either they’ve been vulnerable to an attack – and that questions their competence – or they have had a fire on board a capital ship which has resulted in the detonation of its magazine– and that’s just another bit of incompetence.”
US Pentagon spokesman John Kirby confirmed the ship was still afloat and “operating under her own power”.
He said they had not been unable to confirm Ukraine’s claim two Neptune anti-ship missiles had struck it. “From images, it looks like it was a pretty sizable explosion, too. We don’t know what caused that explosion,” he said.
Russia claimed the explosion was caused by a fire on board, which ignited ammunition stores.
The Moskva is said to be equipped with powerful radar arrays to guide its anti-ship, anti-air and anti-submarine missiles.
Sources linked to Russia’s private military Wagner group suggest drones may have been used to distract radar or as spotters. The same Russian military sources claim the Moskva was hit twice on its port side, causing it to roll over and catch fire. There has been no confirmation of casualties.
Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the Ukrainian ministry, said: “In cases of an explosion of ammunition on such a large ship between a quarter and half crew perishes.”
A defence official claimed Russia’s air force is “terrified” of flying in contested airspace over Ukraine. The Kremlin’s inability to gain air superiority early shocked experts.
It comes as the US announced it is sending more than 40,000 artillery rounds, towed howitzers, armoured vehicles and helicopters to Ukraine, following a plea for aid from President Volodymyr Zelensky. Canada said it will deploy up to 150 military personnel to Poland. More than half of over 4.5 million who have left since the invasion started in late February have fled to the neighbouring country.
Putin’s generals are expected to hit back even harder in the eastern Donbas region, potentially in the next few days, after withdrawing from Kyiv and the surrounding region. Today the Ministry of Defence said the towns of Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka are likely to be targets for similar levels of violence to Mariupol, Bucha and Irpin.
Recent torrential rain could hamper fighting, and slow Russia’s advance.
In besieged Mariupol, Russia said it has gained full control of the city. Today, the prosecutor general’s office in Ukraine said 197 children have died since the war started.
The announcement followed the discovery of mass graves in Bucha, and civilian bodies at the roadside in settlements near the capital.
The conflict has left more than 1.4 million people without access to piped water in eastern Ukraine.
Tonight aid agency UNICEF said a further 4.6 million people were at risk of losing water supply.
“Water is essential for life and a right for everyone,” said Osnat Lubrani, UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine. “The health risks, particularly for children and the elderly, caused by water stoppages are severe.”
Ukrainian special forces also struck a convoy of Russian armour and troops headed from Kharkiv to Izyum earlier this week, taking out a bridge.
