Kiev/Moscow. The missile cruiser “Moskva”, pride of the Russian Black Sea fleet and one of the country’s most important warships, would have a crew of around 500 men. But even a week after the sinking of the flagship, which was observed around the world, there are still contradictory statements about the causes of a fire on board. The whereabouts of the sailors is particularly intriguing.
Search relatives demonstrate on social media, report dead, injured and missing. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that “the entire crew” was saved. But there are many doubts about the account, but the Kremlin is opposed: “All information in this regard is provided by the Ministry of Defense. We are not authorized to communicate anything here,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Where’s the captain?
Russian-speaking media criticizing the Kremlin has even spoken to parents and women who are looking for their children and husbands. They speak of the dead, seriously injured and missing. A woman told the Internet newspaper “Novaya Gazeta. Europa” that her son had told her about a rocket hit on board – and about 40 dead and many injured. The Meduza portal, citing a source close to the command of the Black Sea Fleet, reported that 37 crew members died and 100 were injured.
A Black Sea Fleet video has been under discussion for days, showing Navy Commander Nikolai Yevmenov visiting the men in Sevastopol. The Black Sea Fleet is based in the Crimean Peninsula city, which Russia annexed in 2014. Observers counted only about 100 sailors in typical black uniforms in the video. The captain’s whereabouts are also unclear.
Yevmenov moves down the ranks and says officers will continue to serve in the fleet, according to Russian military television station Zvezda TV. Sadness is written on the crew’s faces. A mourning wreath can be seen in photos of the ceremony that have been circulated on the internet—to the ship and the “sailors,” he says. Officially, however, there is talk of a fire on board, in which ammunition also exploded. As a result, the ship was damaged and sank upon being brought into port.
Great interest in Russia
Clouds of smoke can be seen in photos and videos that have appeared on the internet after the sinking – and the ship with a list in the water. Putin’s spokesman Peskov said only that he could not say whether the recordings were authentic. Interest in the case is also huge in Russia – and anger that the giant empire, so proud of its war fleet, has lost its flagship. “I am furious,” even Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov scolded at a concert, much to the delight of Ukrainians. “Please explain how you can lose them.” Like hell?” thundered the representative of state media, which was sanctioned by the West.
The video of the angry Solovyov, who is hated there, quickly spread on social media in Ukraine. They couldn’t play often enough, some Ukrainians said with satisfaction. (dpa)