Fire on board of the Russian missile cruiser Moskva is contained and the risk of further detonation of the ammunition on board is averted, the Russian Defence Ministry has stated.
A fire on board the Russian missile cruiser Moskva has been contained and the risk of further detonations ammunition on board has been averted, the Russian Defence Ministry stated. The ship maintains its buoyancy and attempts are being made to tug it to a port for repairs, the ministry said.
The cause of the initial fire, which prompted a detonation of ammunition on board that severely damaged the ship, is still being investigated, the Defence Ministry noted. It further elaborated that the main missile ammunition stock was not affected by the incident. The ship's crew, in turn, has been safely evacuated to nearby ships of the Russian Black Sea fleet, the ministry added.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov separately stated that President Vladimir Putin receives all updates regarding the course of the special military operation in Ukraine, including about the fire on board the missile cruiser Moskva.