Leaky raft carrying belongings of sailors from sunken Moskva cruiser found in sea
OLEKSANDR SHUMILIN – FRIDAY, 16 SEPTEMBER 2022, 13:36
A civilian vessel has found in the sea a leaky life raft designed for 20 people from the sunken Russian Moskva missile cruiser.
Source: Report of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine
Quote: "A boat that was staying afloat only due to being tied to a few life jackets has been found in the Black Sea.
There was a broken and corroded oar, and air cylinders for a pump on the raft. There was also a waterproof bag with Russian coins and items of sailors' and marines' uniforms. There were combat numbers on military vests and uniforms."
Details: Border guards point out that this find indicates the negligence of Russian military leadership.
Quote: "It seemed like the raft was defective and that the occupiers who were trying to use it to save themselves resorted to desperate measures. It is obvious that the Russian sailors took their life jackets off (which is strictly prohibited) and tied them to the raft to keep it afloat."
Background:
- On 13 April, the Ukrainian government reported that Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship missiles had hit the Moskva missile cruiser from the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
- On 14 April, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation confirmed the explosion on the missile cruiser, but claimed that it was due to the detonation of weapons on board, that the sailors were evacuated, and the cruiser itself "maintained buoyancy". Later, the Russian ministry claimed that the Moskva missile cruiser had sunk due to stormy conditions while being towed to the port of Sevastopol.
- Experts assumed that half of the crew had been killed or injured. Investigative journalists supposed that two thirds of the crew of the Moskva cruiser might have consisted of conscripts.
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