film and photographs seem to exhibit Russian cruiser Moskva almost immediately before it sank - The Guardian

pictures and a video have emerged purporting to show the Russian cruiser Moskva almost immediately before the ship sank within the Black Sea.

in the images, which have not been independently verified, a plume of black smoke is viewed rising from the closely damaged Moskva, which changed into reported to were hit by means of a Ukrainian missile strike remaining week.

The pictures show that the ship's lifeboats were deployed and there aren't any sailors seen on deck, suggesting the ship may additionally were abandoned. within the images, the Moskva is checklist to port as two fireplace-hoses shoot streams of water into the air.

a three-2d video filmed from a close-by ship seems to demonstrate a rescue tug approaching the burning Moskva. The brief recording ends all of sudden as a man local yells: "What the fuck are you doing?"

a few armed forces analysts consulted by means of the Guardian referred to the photographs looked in step with the Moskva however that the pictures would require unbiased confirmation. The source of the pictures and the video is unknown and it became first delivered to public consideration by way of Osint researchers following the Russian war in Ukraine.

"I accept as true with the video is true. What we see shape, measurement. it's the Moskva," Yörüok Işıok, a journalist and expert ship spotter who pictures Russian warships traveling during the Bosphorus , instructed the Guardian.

He mentioned he believed as a minimum one of the vital photographs changed into taken from a task 22870 rescue tugship, of which Russia is believed to have two within the Black Sea. The Moskva become being towed towards the Sevastopol port when it sank, the Russian defence ministry has mentioned. "These tugs are always round whatever the other warships are engaged," he spoke of in a message.

The Russian defence ministry has released very little tips about how the ship sank, claiming the harm to the boat changed into sustained in an accident on board. The Ukrainian executive, together with western intelligence officials, say that the ship turned into hit by way of several Ukrainian anti-ship missiles.

hi Sutton, a naval analyst and creator, wrote that the "harm doesn't rule out a missile strike(s), and it is still the probably trigger. possible puncture marks in the aspect of the hull are visible under where the fireplace is. but these would need closer examination to confirm whether they were brought about through missiles, or are without problems hearth hurt."

Volodymyr Zelenskiy: Russia desires to 'spoil' Ukraine's Donbas place – video

The Russian executive claims that the ship sank in "stormy seas" while being towed to the port of Sevastopol. however the vicinity of the fireplace could imply that it reached the anti-ship or anti-air missiles, causing a "catastrophic explosion", Sutton wrote. There had in the past been unconfirmed media stories of a large explosion aboard the ship.

The Russian executive also has now not proven any guidance concerning the variety of casualties from the incident, releasing simply a short video clip of the Russian Navy's properly brass meeting with some individuals of the crew.

The absence of lifeboats onboard would indicate a considerable number of the crew might have been rescued.

"all of the aft lifestyles raft canisters have been jettisoned, youngsters one remains on the aft deck," wrote Sutton. "This means that the crew have already deserted ship at this factor."

however different stories in Russian unbiased media on Monday suggest that as much as 200 sailors might have been wounded in the attack on the ship. The ship became suggested to have round 500 crew on board.