The lead warship of Russia in the Black Sea sank on Thursday due to a fire that the Ukraine claims was caused by a missile strike.
Russia has not acknowledged an attack and a statement by the Russian Defense Ministry said the ship sank in stormy weather due to structural damage as it was being towed to port, according to a WSJ report.
Ukraine said it hit the Moskva, Russia's flagship in its Black Sea fleet, with a Ukrainian-made Neptune anti-ship missile.
"While the cruiser 'Moskva' was being towed to the destination port, the ship lost stability due to damage to the hull from the fire," the Russian defence ministry said.
"In the stormy sea conditions, the ship sank," it said.
Russian ships in the Black Sea have been firing cruise missiles at the Ukrainian cities since the beginning of the war.
Picture Credits: Reuters