Russia’s Moskva missile cruiser, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet has been hit by heavy fire and the following detonation of ammunition, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
“As a result of the fire that hit the Moskva missile cruiser, the ammunition has detonated. The ship has been seriously damaged,” the ministry said in a statement, Sputnik reported.
The incident on the Moskva missile cruiser occurred after ammunition on board blew up, Interfax news agency quoted the Russian defence ministry as saying.
Maksym Marchenko, governor of the region around the Black Sea port of Odesa, said in an online post that the 12,500 tonne ship was hit by two missiles, without providing evidence.
The statement added that all the crew members had been safely evacuated, causes of the fire are being investigated.