Cautious US Stance Shifts... "Russian Black Sea Fleet Flagship Moskva Sunk by Ukrainian Missile"

The Russian Navy's guided missile cruiser Moskva entered port on November 16 last year (local time) after completing a tracking mission of a NATO warship in the Black Sea.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] The sinking of the Moskva, the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet and considered Russia's pride, was caused by a Ukrainian missile attack, the U.S. Department of Defense revealed.

According to the Washington Post (WP) on the 15th (local time), a senior U.S. defense official claimed that the Ukrainian military hit the Moskva with two Neptune missiles, causing it to sink.

While Ukraine and Russia had conflicting claims about the cause of the Moskva's sinking, the U.S. sided with Ukraine.

Earlier, Ukraine claimed on the 13th that the Moskva sank due to an attack by its forces. On that day, Maksym Marchenko, governor of Odesa, Ukraine, stated that Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship missiles struck the Moskva, which was operating in the Black Sea, causing significant damage. CNN also reported on the same day, citing two sources, that Ukraine's claim appeared credible.

However, Russia's claim was different. According to Russia's Sputnik News Agency, the Russian Ministry of Defense issued a statement on the 14th denying the missile attack, saying that a fire broke out due to an ammunition explosion inside the Moskva, causing hull damage, loss of balance, and eventual sinking.

Regarding this, the U.S. defense authorities, who had taken a cautious stance, weighed the possibility of a missile strike after gathering intelligence two days after the incident. Russia's attack on the Neptune missile manufacturing plant located in Vasylkiv, on the outskirts of Kyiv, shortly after the Moskva sank, also adds credibility to this claim.

Meanwhile, Western officials assess that the sinking of the Moskva due to the Ukrainian missile attack dealt a significant blow to the pride of the Russian military. Accordingly, it is analyzed that Russia's offensive will intensify further and that it may even consider using nuclear weapons.

William Burns, Director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), warned in a speech at the Georgia Institute of Technology, "Given the desperation of President Vladimir Putin and the Russian leadership, as well as their military failures, no one can take lightly the threat that they might use nuclear weapons," adding, "The CIA is closely monitoring this."