More airstrikes rock Kyiv after claims 'entire Moskva crew died in sinking'
There have been fresh air strikes on Kyiv overnight after the sinking of the Moskva warship.
Russia has restarted its air assault on the capital after its flagship went down in the Black Sea.
Ukraine says it took the vessel out with two missiles but the Kremlin has tried to claim it capsized because of an accident on board.
The new attacks come after claims from one Ukrainian official that the entire 500-strong crew of the Moskva died in the incident.
Russia’s main propaganda TV station responded to the news of the sinking and ongoing Nato support for the Ukrainian by military by fuming that the Third World War has already begun.
Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko said rescuers and medics were working at the site of an early Saturday blast on the outskirts of the city,
The explosion took place in the Darnytskyi district, Klitschko said in a post on the Telegram messaging app, adding that information on wounded is being confirmed.
There were also reports of explosions in Lviv, Ukraine’s most western major city which has been spared the worst of the fighting.
Anton Gerashchenko, an advisor to the Kyiv Interior Ministry, said the Moskva’s captain and entire crew died after it went down ‘in minutes’ after a missile strike.
His claims, including that the ship’s captain perished alongside his sailors, could not be verified.
Mr Gerashchenko wrote on social media: ‘Apparently, as a result of the fire, the warheads of the large P-1000 cruise missile – Vulkan – detonated. And there were 16 of them on board the cruiser.’
He claimed: ‘The leadership of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation have deliberately hidden the truth from relatives and friends of the crew members.’
Russian officials say the ship sank after a fire on board caused ammunition to explode and have not confirmed any fatalities.
Another earlier report said that 50 members of its crew had been rescued by a Turkish ship.
According to pro-Kyiv sources, Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones were used to confuse the ship’s anti-missile defence systems by flitting around above it, giving the Neptune rockets a clean run.
It’s thought Ukraine’s military would have been well aware of the ship’s route as it has been making regular and predictable patrols up and down the coast.
Two cruise missiles reportedly slammed into the port side of the ship, triggering a further explosion in its ammo stores.
The Kremlin tried to deny the ship had sunk for several hours while conceding there had been a fire before finally admitting it had gone down.
One unit of Ukrainian soldiers learned about the news by Metro.co.uk and shared an image of them reading it together.
While the death toll remains unclear, the Moskva is the largest naval asset to be sunk in combat since the Belgrano in during the Falklands War.
If the entirety of the crew or a large majority died in the incident, it would be the worst death toll from a military ship going down since the Second World War.
Russia-Ukraine war: Everything you need to know
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, the country has suffered widespread damages and loss of life amid a major bombing campaign.
Millions of people have fled the country, with thousands of British people opening up their homes to Ukrainian refugees.
During the course of the war, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has remained in Kyiv, despite the Ukrainian capital being subjected to a barrage of bombing.
Zelensky has continuously pushed for aid and support from world leaders, as well as pressing for fast-tracked NATO membership.
Meanwhile, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has been widely condemned for his attack on Ukraine.
His actions have been met by harsh economic sanctions, bans from competing in major sporting events, and countries moving away from using Russian oil.
- When did Russia invade Ukraine? A war timeline of important events
- How can I house a Ukrainian refugee or family?
- Where to buy a Ukraine ribbon pin
- When did President Vladimir Putin come to power?
- Who is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky?
- What is Ukraine’s currency, language, and what does its flag symbolise?
- Does Russia have any allies and what have they said about Ukraine?
- What is NATO and which countries are members?
- How to talk to children about what’s happening in Ukraine
- How to cope with World War Three anxiety
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