⚫ Mahmud Hasan,Reporter:
According to Ukraine's defence ministry, the underwater wreckage of the Russian Moskva warship has been designated as a Ukrainian cultural heritage site, a week after the heavily armed flagship was sunk by two Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship missiles in the Black Sea, prompting Ukraine's defence minister to jokingly refer to it as "yet another diving spot."
The Russian fleet has been assigned the number 2,064 in Ukraine's underwater cultural heritage record, according to a Facebook post by Ukraine's Ministry of Defense on Thursday, adding that the "renowned cruiser" 80 miles off the coast of Odesa may now be "admired."
According to the Pentagon, the decision comes a week after US intelligence revealed Ukraine lost Russia's fleet flagship, the country's largest combat loss of a navy ship in decades.
"A Russian 'flagship' battleship is a good diving location." In the Black Sea, we now have one additional diving area. After we win the battle, we'll undoubtedly pay a visit to the wreck. BTW, I've done 300 scuba dives," Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov joked last week after Ukraine sank the ship in a tweet.
Russia originally rejected reports that Ukraine's warship had sunk, stating first that it had been destroyed by a fire that resulted in an explosion, and then that it had sunk due to "stormy sea" circumstances, despite reports of pleasant weather in the Black Sea. According to a US defence official, the loss of the vessel, which has 16 anti-ship missile launchers and 64 air-defence missiles, was a severe defeat for Russia.
The Russian fleet has been assigned the number 2,064 in Ukraine's underwater cultural heritage record, according to a Facebook post by Ukraine's Ministry of Defense on Thursday, adding that the "renowned cruiser" 80 miles off the coast of Odesa may now be "admired."
According to the Pentagon, the decision comes a week after US intelligence revealed Ukraine lost Russia's fleet flagship, the country's largest combat loss of a navy ship in decades.
"A Russian 'flagship' battleship is a good diving location." In the Black Sea, we now have one additional diving area. After we win the battle, we'll undoubtedly pay a visit to the wreck. BTW, I've done 300 scuba dives," Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov joked last week after Ukraine sank the ship in a tweet.
Russia originally rejected reports that Ukraine's warship had sunk, stating first that it had been destroyed by a fire that resulted in an explosion, and then that it had sunk due to "stormy sea" circumstances, despite reports of pleasant weather in the Black Sea. According to a US defence official, the loss of the vessel, which has 16 anti-ship missile launchers and 64 air-defence missiles, was a severe defeat for Russia.
On Twitter, Ukraine's government mocked the Russian loss, writing, "Russian warship, what are you sinking?" The government has mocked the Kremlin many times since the start of the war, most notably through memes, on its social media accounts. The loss of the Russian cruiser occurred as Russia turned its invasion emphasis to Ukraine's eastern area, declaring this week that the second phase of its military campaign will include establishing "complete authority" over the Donbas region and southern Ukraine.
