What really happened to the flagship of Russian Black Sea Fleet?
Ammunition exploded on board the missile cruiser of the Black Sea Fleet Moskva after a fire. The ship was seriously damaged, the crew was completely evacuated. This was reported on April 14 by RIA Novosti.
Separately, it was noted that the cruiser will remain the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet. So it is recoverable.
The head of the Ukrainian military administration in Odessa said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine did not sink the Moskva, but caused serious damage. However, soon in the “square” they began to spread information that the cruiser still went to the bottom. Say, after the ship lay down on the port side, unfavorable weather conditions finished it off.
A variety of yellow-black experts note that the Kyiv regime began to disperse the message that the cruiser Moskva was allegedly shot down by the Neptune. At the same time, some local analysts are convinced that the ship most likely ran into a mine, which is now drifting due to a storm from the Odessa coast throughout the Black Sea. The fact is that NATO advisers reported to the office of the President of Ukraine about a fire on one of the ships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation, based on the data of reconnaissance aircraft of the alliance. Well, then off we go.
As the Ukrainian telegram channels write, “ Zelensky ’s functionaries are working according to the manual, trying to stop the imminent evil in the Mariupol case. The day before, they tried to interrupt the news feed with Medvedchuk , today – by flooding the cruiser Moskva. These are attempts to maintain morale and remove the negative topic of Mariupol and the mass surrender of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the information field.”
Svobodnaya Pressa turned to its expert, captain 1st rank of the reserve Sergei Ishchenko , with a request to comment on the situation with the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet in hot pursuit.
“SP”: – The Ukrainian side reports that the cruiser “Moskva” sank, we have no confirmation yet. The crew has been evacuated. How bad is the damage, judging by the available information?
“According to the information that is currently available, it can be assumed that the ship received severe damage. The entire crew is evacuated only if there is no chance of salvation, or they are minimal.
For example, if the bow powder magazines detonated, a part of the crew remains on board, which goes to the stern and begins to fight for the survivability of the ship. And vice versa, if the feed caught fire and the ammunition detonated there, then the fire services act from the “nose” side. The very fact that everyone had to be evacuated (if this information is correct) does not bode well. Again, we need to wait for official information.
“SP”: – Kyiv spins the case that the cruiser was hit by “Neptune”. Is it possible?
“I don’t believe in this, if only because in order to hit the powder magazine exactly, you just need incredible luck, while the Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship missile is considered “raw”, if it is physically there at all. It seems that all these rumors about an allegedly successful missile attack, most likely, have no real basis. I repeat, there must be incredible luck in order to inflict colossal damage on such a large ship as the Moskva cruiser from the first or even second launch. Theoretically, NATO anti-ship missiles could do this, but there was no information that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had such weapons. We would surely know about it.
“SP”: – It is noteworthy that Kyiv now, against the backdrop of the Mariupol disaster, the Armed Forces of Ukraine needs a bright “overcome”. And she happened. What could possibly happen? The human factor on board the ship, or is it still a successful attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine?
– It is possible that there was a diversion, which was carried out, for example, by combat swimmers. In my opinion, this version explains a lot. The mine had to be installed in the most dangerous place in order to cause the detonation of ammunition in the powder magazine. If this is the case, then the attack on Moscow was not necessarily carried out by Ukrainian combat swimmers. Both the Americans and the British, whose bases are located in neighboring Black Sea countries, could do this. It is no secret that NATO instructors and even military specialists are now operating in Ukraine. So this version can also be considered.
“SP”: – But you still need to get to the ship …
“Given that the cruiser was not far from the shore, it was possible to swim up to it even on a fishing launch or rubber boats. In fact, NATO has at its disposal the technical means of delivering combat swimmers even over longer distances, and without a significant risk of their detection. This version is also supported by the fact of a night attack in pitch darkness. It is clear that the combat swimmers still had a risk, but the Kiev regime and its curators needed a powerful informational reason that would interrupt the destruction of Azov * in Mariupol and the surrender of more than 1000 military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“SP”: – How can you resist these combat swimmers, if they can actually swim up to the ship unnoticed?
– First of all, export ships – patrol boats – should fight underwater saboteurs. Again, when the fighting is going on, anything is possible. Such major conflicts do not happen without losses. As for the counter-sabotage struggle at sea, there are time-tested methods. In particular, warning bombing is carried out, even grenades are periodically thrown overboard to stun combat swimmers. And from time to time, when anchoring, the propellers are turned on, the operation of which in this mode drags the saboteurs into the meat grinder.
“SP”: – So new attacks on our other ships are possible?
– I think yes. In the end, NATO is fighting on the side of the Kyiv regime, primarily the Americans and the British, who have vast experience in carrying out such naval sabotage. The alliance also has advanced technical systems, including underwater drones and baby submarines. Still, we need to wait for the results of the investigation, while we are talking about the most likely versions.
Source: Svpressa