Ukraine’s strike on Russian flagship Moskva sparked anger and shock in U.S.

According to The New York Times, in its investigation of the U.S. role in Ukrainian military operations, this episode came as a surprise to Washington and provoked a mixed reaction.

In mid-April 2022, just two weeks before the Wiesbaden meeting, where Ukrainian and U.S. military officials were set to coordinate cooperation in intelligence, strategic planning, and technology, U.S. and Ukrainian naval officers were engaged in a routine intelligence-sharing call when an unexpected and shocking development suddenly appeared on their radar screens. According to a former senior U.S. military officer, “The Americans go: ‘Oh, that’s the Moskva!’ The Ukrainians go: ‘Oh my God. Thanks a lot. Bye.’”

The Moskva, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, had been sunk by the Ukrainian military, a move that caused both outrage and shock within the United States.

The attack on the Russian cruiser, a potent symbol of Russian power, came as a complete surprise to U.S. officials. As reported by The New York Times, American military planners were caught off guard by the fact that Ukraine possessed the capability to strike such a high-profile target. The United States had not planned to allow Ukraine to target symbols of Russian power, yet this strike not only demonstrated Ukraine's technical capability but also highlighted a gap in the expectations between the two countries. The U.S. had not anticipated that Ukraine would be able to strike at such significant targets, especially one as important as the Moskva.