17 missing sailors from Moskva cruiser declared dead by Sevastopol court

Russian media Meduza reported the information citing court documents.

The court had examined 16 cases over the summer, and one more in September. Dmitry Shkrebets, the father of the dead sailor Yehor Shkrebets, said that the trials were held on the requests of the parents of the missing servicemen. The military prosecutor's office and the unit’s command represented their interests in court.

According to Shkrebets, those sailors whose relatives did not go to court will automatically be recognized as dead in 6 months. He said that he himself received the death certificate of his son Yehor at the beginning of August.

On April 13, the Ukrainian military struck the Russian cruiser Moskva with two Neptune missiles. The ship sank due to the fire that had broken out as the result of the attack.

The sinking of the ship became the largest loss of the Russian fleet in the last 40 years and the most expensive target destroyed by the Armed Forces.