Pentagon backs Kiev’s version
Ukraine: Captain of the “Moskva” is dead
04/15/2022, 21:19
The captain of the prestigious Russian warship “Moskva” has been killed, according to Ukrainian sources. The cruiser is therefore hit by two “Neptune” rockets. The US Department of Defense has now confirmed the information. Meanwhile, Russia is stepping up its attacks.
According to Kiev, the captain of the sunken Russian missile cruiser “Moskva” is dead. “Anton Kuprin, Captain 1st rank, commander of the cruiser ‘Moskva’ died in an explosion and fire on board the former flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet,” Gerashenko wrote in his Telegram channel. The State Border Service of Ukraine also reported that the Russian Defense Ministry had confirmed Kuprin’s death. However, no information about the captain’s death could be found on the ministry’s website or social media channels.
According to a spokesman for the Ukrainian army, the “Moskva” was hit by “Neptun” type rockets on Thursday. A US Department of Defense official, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed this. Apparently there were victims on the Russian side, but their number is unclear, according to US government circles. The Russian side only announced that ammunition on board had exploded. While the “Moskva” was then towed in the direction of a port, she lost her “balance” and went under in heavy seas.
Were the “forces of nature” on the side of Ukraine?
A spokeswoman for Ukraine’s southern armed forces said that other ships tried to help the “Moskva” after the Ukrainian attack, “but the forces of nature were also on Ukraine’s side, because the storm made both the rescue operation and the evacuation of the Crew impossible,” said the spokeswoman.
However, according to several weather experts, it is unlikely that the ship sank due to a storm. On Thursday, wind speeds of only 7 to 14 kilometers per hour prevailed in Sevastopol, the central port city of Crimea.
The Ukrainian military spokeswoman could not provide any precise information on the fate of the crew of the “Moskva” because “reliable information” was missing. The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Thursday that the crew had been transferred to other ships in the Black Sea Fleet. However, the ministry did not specify whether all crew members could be rescued. The “Moskva” crew consisted of more than 500 members.
Moscow takes revenge
“The attack on the cruiser ‘Moskva’ hit not only the ship itself, but also the imperial ambitions of the enemy,” said the spokeswoman for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. “We are aware that the attacks against us will increase and that the enemy will take revenge. We understand that,” she added.
Indeed, a day after the sinking of the prestigious warship, Russian forces stepped up their attacks. Among other things, a workshop and an administration building of the Wisar armaments complex near the capital Kyiv were destroyed. According to the website of the state-owned defense company Ukroboronprom, the factory produces “Neptun” rockets, which the Ukrainian armed forces are said to have used to hit the “Moskva”.