Dramatic image of burning Russian warship Moskva before it sank emerges

18 April 2022, 11:10

The image of the Moskva was published to social media
The image of the Moskva was published to social media. Picture: Twitter/Alamy

By Will Taylor

An image of the Russian warship Moskva burning before it sank has emerged.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The Black Sea flagship was lost after a fire broke out, with Russia claiming it to have been an accident while Ukraine says it was struck by anti-ship missiles.

The fate of much of the crew remains unclear despite a video purportedly showing sailors being released by authorities in Moscow in the aftermath of the sinking.

New images show the missile cruiser burning, producing a large plume of smoke as the ship leans to its left side.

While there is a debate as to how important the Moskva was to Russia's invasion of Crimea, it represents at a minimum a symbolic blow to invading forces.

The ship gained notoriety for being on the receiving end of the famous "Russian warship, go f*** yourself" when it told Ukrainian defenders on the Black Sea's Snake Island to surrender in the initial invasion.

Read more: Captain of sunken Russian warship Moskva 'killed on board', Ukraine claims

Russia releases video of 'surviving crew' of sunken Moskva ship

Russia struck a missile facility near Kyiv in the aftermath of the sinking, which is said to produce the Neptune anti-ship missiles that Ukraine claims hit the cruiser – despite Moscow's denial that it lost the ship to an attack.

Questions over how many crew members survived the sinking have also been raised.

Russia's Ministry of Defence published footage that appeared to show an admiral addressing sailors in Sevastopol, Crimea.

Read more: Moskva mystery: Russia releases video 'showing crew for first time' since flagship sunk

But the date the footage of the roughly 100 officers and seamen was taken on is unclear.

"I can't definitively tell you exactly what has happened... but I am not aware previously of a fire onboard a capital warship which has led to the ammunition magazine exploding as a consequence," a Western official told reporters last week.

"Were that to have been the case - were it just to have been an accident - it's a remarkably inept piece of control by the Russian military.

"And I find it difficult to believe that that would have been the case in this instance.

"So the claim by the Ukrainian forces, I think, is credible."

They added: "The loss of the Moskva is a significant loss, I think, a little bit in terms of capability, but in terms of credibility for Russian forces it's an enormous loss - regardless of how it's happened - whether it's as a consequence of ineptitude onboard or an attack by Ukrainian forces.”

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

More than 2 million drivers are set to hit the road on Good Friday.

Easter Carmageddon: Over two million drivers to hit the road on Good Friday after Brits hit by Storm Nelson travel chaos

Michael Gove has slammed the water firm as a 'disgrace'.

Thames Water bosses branded a ‘disgrace’ as Michael Gove tells firm ‘not to punish consumers’ for its failings

South Africa Bus Crash

Girl, 8, the sole survivor as 45 die in bus crash off South Africa bridge

A spokesman has denied reports the sausage dog could be banned.

The wurst news is over: Germany denies claims of sausage dog ban

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Greece Confidence Vote

Greece’s government survives no-confidence motion called over rail disaster

A council has had to apologise following the incident.

Fury as parents offered version of school class photo without complex needs pupils

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto

Firefighters at the scene of a bus crash in Limpopo

Bus plunges from bridge in South Africa and erupts into flames, killing at least 45 and leaving child, 8, as lone survivor

Music-Green Day UN

Green Day to headline UN-backed global climate concert

Exclusive
Starmer has vowed to resurrect Boris Johnson's 'Levelling Up' policy

Failure to ‘level up’ Britain would be ‘catastrophic’, Wes Streeting admits, as Starmer vows to resurrect Johnson policy

Border Force staff will walk out from April 11

Hundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport to stage four-day strike

Stephen Bear was ordered to pay Ms Harrison £5,000.

Disgraced reality TV star Stephen Bear ordered to pay £27,000 over revenge porn conviction or face nine months in jail

Sam Bankman-Fried

FTX founder Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for crypto fraud

Exclusive
Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says

Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says