Moscow court confirms Ukrainian missiles sank cruiser Moskva, then deletes announcement

The Russian media outlet Mediazona reported the information.

The court's press service removed the news shortly after publication, but the text was preserved by Mediazona.

According to the Russian investigation's version, Shubin gave orders to launch missile strikes on the cruiser Moskva, which sank on April 14, 2022, in the Black Sea near Snake Island, as well as on the frigate Admiral Essen, which was attacked on April 2, 2022. The Russian court also ordered the Ukrainian serviceman to pay 2.2 billion rubles.

In the press release, the court acknowledged for the first time that Moskva was hit by a missile strike. Russia's Ministry of Defense had claimed that a fire broke out on the cruiser, leading to ammunition detonation. Ukrainian authorities reported that the cruiser was attacked by two Neptune anti-ship missiles.

The release also provides official casualty figures. According to the material, the explosion, fire, and smoke resulted in the deaths of 20 crew members, injuries of varying severity to 24 crew members, and 8 people missing, including during the six-hour battle to save the ship. According to the court, one person was wounded in the attack on Admiral Essen.

• Ukraine's Defense Forces struck a Russian military vessel and drilling platform in the Caspian Sea.