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claimed that Ukraine sank the Russian Black Sea Fleet commander, the Moscow.
Russia said that "the Moscow sank" and that "the cause of the explosion was a simple accident".
Correspondent Kim Ki-tae.
[ Reporter
] An explosion occurred on the Moscow ship, which serves as the commander of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy.
Ukrainian forces claim that their surface-to-ship missiles sank the Moscow.
[Vladislov Nazarov / Commander of the Southern Ukrainian Army: The surface-to-ship missile 'Neptune' sank the Russian cruiser 'Moscow' in the Black Sea area of operation.]
The Russian Ministry of Defense issued a statement saying, "The Moscow sank." A simple accident," he said.
The Moscow is the most powerful battleship of the Russian military, which can carry 500 crew and carries 10 Vulkan missiles with a range of 700 km or more.
The US said the damage to the Moscow would be a major blow to Russian forces.
[Jake Sullivan/White House National Security Adviser: Russia had to choose between being disabled or being attacked
, and neither was good for them.]
Seven civilians were said to have been injured.
Mariupol Mayor Vadim Wojchenko refuted the announcement by the Russian Ministry of Defense that more than 1,000 Ukrainian troops had surrendered in the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol.
Ukraine's parliament has adopted a resolution recognizing the actions of the Russian military as 'genocide'.