Kyiv, Ukraine (AP) – Ukrainian forces say they have struck and severely damaged the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s flagship, potentially hitting Moscow’s forces as they try to regroup for a renewed offensive in eastern Ukraine after withdraw from much of the north, including the capital.
Russia said Thursday that the entire crew of the Moscow warship, which usually has 500 sailors on board, was forced to evacuate after a night fire, and also said it had been severely damaged. She did not acknowledge any attack that would also deal a serious blow to Russia’s prestige seven weeks after the war, which is now widely considered a historic mistake.
The reported attack came hours after Ukraine’s allies tried to garner new support for the country. During a visit with leaders from three other countries on Russia’s doorstep who fear they may be in Moscow’s sights, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said “the battle for Europe’s future is happening here.”
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden, who this week called Russia’s actions in Ukraine “genocide”, approved $ 800 million in new military aid to Kyiv. He said Western weapons had sustained Ukraine’s battle so far and “we can’t rest now.”
The news of the flagship’s damage overshadowed Russia’s claims of progress in the southern port city of Mariupol, where they have been fighting Ukrainians since the first days of the invasion of some of the war’s worst battles – at a terrifying cost to civilians.
The spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense, Major General. Igor Konashenkov said on Wednesday that 1,026 servicemen from Ukraine’s 36th Marine Brigade had surrendered to a metal factory in the city. But Vadim Denisenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, dismissed the allegation, telling Current Time television that “the battle for the seaport continues today.”
It was unclear when the surrender may have taken place or how many forces were still defending Mariupol.
Russia’s state television aired on Wednesday what it said was Mariupol, showing dozens of men in camouflage walking with their hands up and carrying others on stretchers or chairs. A man was holding a white flag.
The capture of Mariupol is crucial for Russia because it would bring under its control part of the territory that would allow its forces in the south, which came through the annexed Crimean peninsula, to connect with troops in the eastern region of Donbass, Ukraine’s industrial center. and the purpose of the forthcoming offensive.
Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Ukraine in Donbass since 2014, the same year that Russia took over Crimea. Russia has recognized the independence of the rebel regions in Donbass.
But the loss of Moscow, which satellite images show was in the Crimean port of Sevastopol a week ago, could delay those efforts.
Odessa Oblast Governor Maxim Marchenko said the Ukrainians hit the cruiser with guided missiles with two Neptune missiles and caused “serious damage”. Russia’s Defense Ministry said the ammunition on board was detonated as a result of the fire.
It was unclear whether the ship was completely shut down, but even serious damage could be a serious blow to Russia, which had already been hit by tanker Orsk late last month.
Hours after the signal for the attack, Ukrainian authorities told the Telegram news service that explosions had hit Odessa, Ukraine’s largest port on the Black Sea, and Sevastopol. They called on the residents to remain calm and said there was no danger to civilians.
Russia invaded on February 24 in order, according to Western officials, to quickly take over Kyiv, overthrow the government and install a Moscow-friendly replacement. But the offensive on the ground came to a halt in the face of strong Ukrainian resistance with the help of Western weapons, and Russia lost potentially thousands of fighters. The conflict has killed huge numbers of Ukrainian civilians and forced millions of others to flee.
A UN working group has warned that the war threatens to devastate the economies of many developing countries, which are facing even higher food and energy costs and increasingly difficult financial conditions. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said the war is “accelerating” the food, energy and financial crisis in poorer countries, which are already struggling to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and lack of access to finance.
The war has also upset the balance after the Cold War in Europe – and has particularly worried NATO’s eastern flank countries, which fear they could be attacked. As a result, these nations are among Ukraine’s staunchest supporters.
The presidents of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia traveled to war-torn areas of Ukraine on Wednesday and demanded responsibility for what they called war crimes. They met with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and visited Borodyanka, one of the cities near Kyiv, where evidence of atrocities was found after Russian troops withdrew to focus on the eastern part of the country.
“There is no doubt that they have committed war crimes. And they have to be responsible for that, “said Latvian President Egils Levits.
Nauseda of Lithuania called for tougher sanctions, including against Russia’s oil and gas supplies and all banks in the country.
In a night address, Zelensky noted that the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court visited the Kiev suburb of Bucha, which until recently was controlled by Russian forces and where evidence of mass killings and more than 400 bodies was found.
“It is inevitable that Russian troops will take responsibility. We will take everyone to tribunal, not just for what was done in Bucha, “Zelenski said late Wednesday.
He also said work on clearing tens of thousands of unexploded ordnance, mines and cables left in northern Ukraine by departing Russians continues. He called on people returning home to be careful with any unfamiliar items and report them to police.
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Associated Press writer Robert Burns in Washington and AP journalists around the world contributed to the report.
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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war
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