Video Producer: Shohini Bose
Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam
The Russian warship Moskva, that was damaged by an explosion initiated by Ukrainian forces earlier this week, has sunk, Russia's defence ministry announced on Thursday, 18 April.
Moskva, which was considered to be a symbol of Russia's military power, was also the flagship of its Black Sea Fleet, and was reportedly being towed to its port when "choppy seas" made it sink.
"While being towed... towards the destined port, the vessel lost its balance due to damages sustained in the hull as fire broke out after ammunition exploded. Given the choppy seas, the vessel sank," the ministry stated, according to state news agency TASS.
The setback comes in the backdrop of Russia reportedly preparing for renewed offensives in the south and the east.
Russia had previously stated that the warship had been "damaged" by an attack launched by Ukraine.
"As a result of a fire, ammunition detonated on the Moskva missile cruiser. The ship was seriously damaged,” the Russian defence ministry had stated on Wednesday.
The governor of Odessa, Maksym Marchenko, on Wednesday, 13 April, had said that Ukraine had damaged a Russian warship in the Black Sea.
"Neptune missiles guarding the Black Sea caused very serious damage to the Russian ship. Glory to Ukraine!" Marchenko had written on Telegram.
'World War III Has Started': Russian State Media
However, Russia state media made a chilling statement on Friday, 15 April, that 'World War III' has officially started with the sinking of the ship.
Presenter Olga Skabeyeva said on Kremlin's main propaganda mouthpiece Russia 1, "...what it's escalated into can safely be called World War III..." and added, "that's entirely for sure." She added that Russia not just fighting NATO but "the NATO infrastructure."
Another anchor on state-run television channel argued that Ukraine was doing the West's bidding by carrying out "yet more provocations, bloody, horrible, completely unthinkable."
The Moskva became infamous on the first day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine (24 February) after it demanded the surrender of a small garrison of Ukrainian border troops defending Snake Island in the Black Sea.
The troops refused, and instead responded with "Go **** yourself," after which all the guards were thought to have been killed by the Russian troops on the warship. They had actually been taken as prisoners by the Russian forces and were later released.
(With inputs from TASS and BBC.)
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