London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Mar 27, 2026

Dramatic images appear to show sinking Russian warship Moskva

Dramatic images appear to show sinking Russian warship Moskva

Dramatic pictures - and a credible video - showing the Russian warship Moskva before it sank last week have appeared online.

The video and images match the shape and design of the missile cruiser.

Russia says a fire onboard caused ammunitions to explode and the vessel sank as it was being towed in a storm. Ukraine says it hit it with missiles.

The new images do not immediately back the claims of either side - but there is no sign of a storm at the time.

What do the video and images show?


The images were allegedly taken on 14 April, a day after Ukraine claimed to have struck the warship.

The three-second video clip - likely taken from a rescue boat - shows the Moskva in the distance listing heavily on her port side.

A tug, likely a Russian Shakhter, is on its right.

Smoke can be seen billowing out of the ship, with a section of the freeboard heavily damaged.

Holes are also visible in other parts of the freeboard in one picture, suggesting the warship had taken in a substantial amount of water.

It also appears all of the vessel's lifeboats had been deployed.

Is there more detail on the cause?


Ukraine says it successfully struck the Moskva with two recently-introduced Ukrainian-made Neptune missiles last Wednesday.

Unnamed US officials have told US media they believe the Ukrainian version.

Russia alleges it was damaged after an explosion and subsequently sank because of "stormy seas".

The BBC showed the footage to three naval experts who agreed the damage appeared consistent with a missile attack, but disagreed over whether other causes were still possible.


Jonathan Bentham, of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, concluded that the vessel in the images was certainly a Slava-class cruiser and "probably" the Moskva.

Mr Bentham said the visible damage sustained by the cruiser looked like it may have been caused by a Neptune missile attack, but stressed it was not possible to rule out other causes at this stage.

"The smoke marks on the portside seem to be near the waterline. That might indicate sea-skimming missiles, which the Neptune missiles are reported to be," Mr Bentham said.

Leaking fuel


Another expert, Rear Admiral Chris Parry, who previously commanded a Royal Navy destroyer, told the BBC he was sure the damage was caused by a missile strike.

"You can see a very jagged imploded ship's side," Rear Adm Parry said. "If it was an internal explosion, you'd see plating sticking outwards rather than inwards. But this suggests penetration and subsequent explosion. No doubt it's been hit by one or two missiles."

The former Nato commander said one explanation for the extensive smoke damage was that missiles being stored onboard became punctured in a strike and leaked their fuel the along the ship's decks, causing a devastating fire.

"You can see the decks are completely buckled, the whole ship looks like it's burnt out. I think the fuel has run along the decks, even down the back end," he suggested.

Exploding ammunition


Another military expert, Sidharth Kaushal of the Royal United Services Institute, noted to the BBC that the main area of fire damage is "where the ammunition for the ship's anti-aircraft guns are".

"One working hypothesis is that a fire started by the initial strike cooked off the ammunition from the anti-aircraft guns," Kaushal said.


Sea conditions


While conditions can vary at different times, there's nothing in the video to confirm the Kremlin's initial assertion that the Moskva sank due to stormy conditions.

Prior to the sinking, Russia's defence ministry issued a statement saying "the vessel is seriously damaged. The entire crew have been evacuated".

The BBC has not been able to verify the claims.

Russia has also not admitted any casualties. On Saturday, the Russian defence ministry published footage showing what it described as the crew of the Moskva on parade in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol.

The 510-crew warship had led Russia's naval assault on Ukraine, which made it an important symbolic and military target.

Earlier in the conflict the Moskva gained notoriety after calling on Ukrainian border troops defending Snake Island in the Black Sea to surrender - to which they memorably radioed a message of refusal which loosely translates as "go to hell".


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Jaguar Land Rover Halts Production at UK Plant Amid Supplier Disruption
UK Police Reverse Position, Confirm Arrests Will Resume for Palestine Action Protests
UK Small Businesses Face Europe’s Steepest Cost Pressures, New Survey Reveals
US Envoy Urges UK to Proceed with King’s Visit Amid Diplomatic Sensitivities
FTSE 100 Drops Over One Percent as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Markets
UK CO2 Plant Set to Reopen as Authorities Move to Safeguard Supplies Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Urges Stronger Defence Investment as He Questions Allied Naval Capabilities
New COVID Variant Detected in UK Raises Concerns Over Vaccine Effectiveness
FTSE Russell Moves to Standardise Free-Float Rules for UK and International Listings
HBO Max Launches in UK and Ireland, Marking Major Step in Global Streaming Expansion
UK Signals Readiness to Seize Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Vessels in Escalation of Sanctions Enforcement
Escalating Middle East Conflict Seen as Major Threat to UK Economic Stability
Early Challenges Mark Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit
UK Government Rejects Cover-Up Claims After Theft of Former PM Aide’s Phone
Cyprus Opens Strategic Talks with UK Over Sovereign Base Areas
UK Faces Risk of Sharp Inflation Surge Despite Stable Pre-Crisis Figures
UK Police Arrest Two Over Suspected Antisemitic Arson as Iran Link Investigated
UK Inflation Holds at Three Percent Ahead of Oil Price Shock from Iran Conflict
UK Fuel Prices Face Upward Pressure as Global Oil Trends Raise Cost Outlook
Girlguiding UK Sets September Deadline for Membership Policy Change Affecting Trans Participants
Germany and UK Accelerate Wind Power Expansion to Strengthen Energy Security
UK Moves to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations to Political Parties Over Foreign Influence Concerns
UK and Turkey Finalise Major Air Defence Agreement Worth Billions
Apple Introduces Mandatory Age Verification for iPhone Users in the UK
Diverging Views Emerge Over Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Appearance
Trump Signals Frustration with UK Leadership Amid Diverging Approaches to Iran Conflict
UK Government Takes Control of Hunterston B as Landmark Nuclear Decommissioning Begins
UK Public Inflation Expectations Jump Sharply in March, Raising Pressure on Bank of England
UK Ministers Warn Expanded North Sea Drilling Would Deepen Exposure to Global Energy Volatility
Delayed UK Defence Investment Plan Leaves Suppliers Under Severe Financial Strain
Can Iran Strike the UK? Assessing the Real Military Threat as Conflict Escalates
Sanctioned Iranian Banker Linked to Luxury Marbella Villa Through UK Corporate Structure
Casey Bloys Navigates HBO Max UK Launch, Paramount Integration and Industry Buzz Over Netflix Meeting
Iran Conflict Sparks Sharp Turbulence in UK Mortgage Market, Reaching Pandemic-Era Disruption Levels
Major Donor Urges University of Kentucky to Reconsider Mitch Barnhart’s Post-Retirement Role
United Kingdom Moves to Lead International Effort to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
UK Police Investigate Targeted Attack on Jewish Ambulance Vehicles
UK Police Investigate Targeted Attack on Jewish Ambulance Vehicles
Senior UK Advocate Criticises Barnhart Retirement Appointment, Calls for Reconsideration
UK Finds No Evidence of Direct Iranian Threat to Britain, Says Prime Minister Starmer
Assessing Iran’s Strike Capability and the UK’s Readiness Amid Rising Tensions
NATO Unable to Confirm Iran’s Role in Strike on UK-US Base as Tehran Denies Involvement
University of Kentucky’s Youling Xiong Receives SEC Faculty Achievement Award for 2026
Trump Highlights Satirical Portrayal of UK Leadership Amid Talks with Prime Minister Starmer on Iran Conflict
Trump Highlights Satirical Portrayal of UK Leadership Amid Talks with Prime Minister Starmer on Iran Conflict
UK Fuel Prices Surge Toward Crisis Levels as Experts Warn of Further Sharp Increases
UK Fuel Prices Surge Toward Crisis Levels as Experts Warn of Further Sharp Increases
Duchess of Sussex Secures ‘As Ever’ Trademark Rights in Australia Ahead of High-Profile Visit
UK Reaffirms Security as Officials Reject Claims of Immediate Iranian Missile Threat
Rising Middle East Tensions Spark ‘Trumpflation’ Debate Over Impact on UK Households
×