The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed tonight (Friday) for the first time that one soldier was killed in the shelling of the missile ship “Moscow”, the Russian news agency RIA reported. 396 crew members were reportedly rescued, however 27 soldiers are still defined as missing.
“The Moscow missile patrol was badly damaged by an explosive device. The crew’s attempts to put out the fire were unsuccessful. During the firefighting effort, one service member was killed, another 27 crew members were missing. The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
According to estimates, the Russian battleship was attacked with a number of cruise missiles made in Ukraine. The ship, weighing 12,500 tons, was armed with a number of anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles, and was the only one of its kind in the Black Sea. Alexander Karpyuk, a volunteer with the Ukrainian forces who has been working alongside the Marines and reporting from the front since 2014, reported that the “Moscow” patrol, the Russian Navy’s flagship in the Black Sea, is on fire after being hit by two Neptune cruise missiles.
Photos and videos circulated on social media showed documentation of the ship’s first moments after the shelling. According to the documentation, the ship was filled with smoke before it began to sink in the sea. A video released by the Russian Defense Ministry purported to show dozens of uniformed crew members cruising standing in the structure, apparently days after the ship sank. However, the video did not answer ongoing questions about the ship’s fate and more than 500 people.
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Good night Russian ship#Ukraine #Russia pic.twitter.com/G2r65fEQS8
– Pierre Davide Borrelli (@PierreDBorrelli) April 18, 2022
Three days after the incident, the commander of the Russian Navy, Admiral, met Nikolai Avmanov, With the ship’s crew. “The Admiral informed the staff that the officers, combatants and sailors would continue to serve in the Navy,” it was reported. The Ministry of Defense noted that the traditions of the Moscow Guard Missile Patrol “will be carefully preserved and will continue, as has always been the practice in the Navy.”
Interviews were also conducted with crew members, during which the vast majority of officers, means and sailors in the service wanted to continue serving in Black Sea Fleet ships. Whoever decides to move, will continue to serve on ships of other fleets. Military personnel (sailors) in conscription after the end of their conditions of service will be transferred to reserve service.
A senior EU official estimates: “The coming weeks could be crucial in the war in Ukraine”
A senior EU official estimated today (Friday) that Russia is likely to intensify its military offenses in eastern Ukraine and along the country’s shores, Reuters reported. “The next few weeks will be crucial, this is not a legend with a happy ending. I think we are likely to see a very significant increase in the intensity of Russian military attacks in the east, I think we are likely to see an intensification of Russian military attacks along the coast,” he said.
In addition, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that the army had occupied a large weapons depot in the Kharkiv region. He said the warehouse contained tons of ammunition. At the same time, Putin accused Ukraine of refusing to allow Ukrainian troops to surrender to Mariupol. “All those serving in Ukraine’s armed forces, armed regiments of national battalions and foreign mercenaries are assured of their lives guaranteed life, decent care in accordance with international law and the provision of quality medical care,” Putin told the president of the European Council, according to the Kremlin.
Ukraine, on the other hand, claims that hundreds of its forces and citizens are hidden inside the Asobstal steel plant and has again called for a ceasefire to allow women, children and the elderly to leave the devastated city safely. The Russian Defense Ministry responded to the allegations, saying that “Russia is ready at any moment to institute a ‘regime of silence’ and to declare a humanitarian ceasefire.”
A Ukrainian MP said the fall of the besieged city of Mariupol is “not a matter of time” but a matter of resources. The people are without food, electricity, water and no supply of medical supplies and Russia is still blocking more than 50,000 people inside the city. “Russia’s defense minister said Moscow held a large part of the city, but Ukrainian troops remained in large numbers.
Earlier in the day, a senior Russian military official said he was planning to take control of the Donabas region of southern Ukraine during the second phase of what Russia calls a “special military operation.” He claimed that “full control of southern Ukraine will improve Russian access to Moldova’s pro – Russian region bordering Ukraine, and that Kiev fears it will serve as a launching pad for new attacks against it.”
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry condemned the plans announced by Russia, calling them “imperialism.” It was further reported that “they have stopped hiding the fact that the purpose of the ‘second phase’ of the war is simply the occupation of eastern and southern Ukraine.”