The image is said to be Russia’s flagship Moscow before it sank

Photos on social networks show a ship believed to be the flagship Moscow before it sank – Photo: TWITTER

According to CNN, the sinking of the flagship of Moscow, the commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, is the largest wartime loss to a naval ship in 40 years, and has caused great embarrassment for Moscow.

Images on social media showed black smoke billowing above the ship, which was tilted to one side. The black holes in the hull could be punctures caused by rockets.

The image also shows that the ship’s lifeboats have been deployed and there are no crew members on deck.

In addition, according to the newspaper Guardiana 3-second video taken from a nearby ship shows a rescue ship approaching the “burning flagship Moscow”.

CNN and Guardian Quoting warship experts, the ship in the pictures looks like the flagship Moscow. The source of the photos and videos posted on social media on April 18 is unknown.

“I believe the video is real. What we see in terms of shape and size shows that it is the Moskva ship,” journalist Yoruk Isik – an expert on Russian warships – said.

Russia and Ukraine have given different information about the sinking of the cruiser Moskva in the Black Sea.

The Ukrainian side claimed that the Moscow flagship was hit by two Ukrainian-made Neptune missiles. In contrast, Russia said that the Moskva ship caught fire in its ammunition depot and sank in the Black Sea while being towed ashore due to rough seas, but did not specify the cause of the fire.

Late on April 18, a senior US defense official confirmed that a number of Russian sailors survived the sinking of the Moskva ship. The official added that when it sank, the Russian flagship was not carrying nuclear weapons.