Russia’s Moskva cruiser sinks following Ukrainian claim of missile strike

Russia initially denied reports that warship sank, then later claimed it went down in stormy seas while being towed to port

Russia's Black Sea flagship missile cruiser, the Moskva, sunk while being towed to port after an explosion caused by an unexplained fire, the Russian defence ministry has said, after Ukraine said it had hit the ship with a missile or missiles.

Although Russia did not confirm that Ukrainian missiles had hit the ship, early on Friday it struck what it described as a factory in Kyiv that made and repaired anti-ship missiles, in apparent retaliation.