Ukrainian forces hit Russia’s flagship Moskva cruiser with two home-produced Neptune missiles on April 13 and sank it. Confirmation came after Ukrainian forces confirmed that they had carried out an attack on the pride of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and the Russian side confirmed the vessel had sunk.
The Russian Ministry of Defense was initially evasive about what had caused “a fire” on board the missile cruiser which then detonated ammunition on board. “The ship was seriously damaged. The crew was completely evacuated. The causes of the fire are being established, ” the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement quoted by TASS. The Moskva sank in the early hours of April 14.
The UK Ministry of Defense believes that this attack will force Russia to reconsider its position in the Black Sea, as the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet played a key role as both a command ship and an air defense unit.
Forbes journalist David Aix wrote on Twitter that Russia had lost half of its military capability in the Black Sea zone due to the Moskva’s sinking. It was a big loss for the Russian military capacity and its morale. Russia has lost half of its firepower at the hands of Ukraine and cannot regain it without entering into a war with NATO, Aix wrote. In an earlier article written by Aix in January 2022, he noted that the missiles on the Moskva would be enough to destroy the entire Ukrainian fleet.
The sinking prompted a strong reaction in Russian society, and it may actually prove be a turning point in the war. One of the main Russian TV propagandists Olga Skabeeva even began to refer what Russia had named its “special operation’ against Ukraine – “the Third World War against NATO and its infrastructure.”
Calls for revenge, even nuclear strike
Despite the fact that Russia has not formally acknowledged that the cruiser was attacked by Ukrainian missiles, its destruction is being presented as a “pretext” for all-out war. Public figures are publicly calling for a retaliatory strike against Kyiv, including the use of nuclear weapons.
In a two-minute video, ex-State Duma deputy Vladimir Bortko shouted that certain ‘events’ that took place on the night of April 13-14 are a reason to declare war on Ukraine.
“I will not talk about what happened. These events are different… But even the fact that there is encroachment on our territory is a ‘casus belli’, an absolute, real reason for war. No fools. The special military operation is over! It ended tonight, and it ended up attacking our homeland!” Bortko shouted.
Another propagandist, TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov, demanded that the Russian Ministry of Defense report on the sinking. On his Soloviev Live program, he said that the loss of the Black Sea Fleet’s flagship had driven him into a frenzy.
Well-known Russian film director and public figure Nikita Mikhalkov, appearing on the TV program with Skabeeva, demanded a retaliatory strike on Kyiv.
Activists of Opposition Platform – For Life party led by Ilya Kiva (centre) participate in a march in Kyiv celebrating Victory Day in Slavy Park on May 9, 2021. (Volodymyr Petrov)
Ilya Kiva, a former Ukrainian MP with outspoken pro-Russian views, called for a nuclear strike on Ukraine. Writing in his Telegram channel, he said that the use of weapons of mass destruction by the Russian Armed Forces against Ukrainians would enable Moscow to not only win the war, but also “to put an end to the confrontation with the West,” which, according to the former parliamentarian, is actively involved in a full-scale armed conflict on the territory of “our” country. It’s unclear if he still regards Ukraine as separate from Russia.
The successful attack on Russia’s flagship has brought a major boost for Ukraine, not only for its military resistance but also for the military industry, showing that despite its reliance on weapons donated by Western allies, it pays to concentrate of developing the domestic arms industry.
