Sinking of 'Moskva' strains Ukraine-U.S. wartime dynamics
The sinking of the Russian cruiser "Moskva" by Ukraine in 2022 surprised and enraged American officials, reports the "New York Times".
What do you need to know?
- On April 13, 2022, Ukrainian R-360 Neptune missiles hit the Russian ship "Moskva," leading to its sinking the next day.
- American officials were surprised and enraged when they learned about the attack, as they were unaware of Ukraine's plans.
- The sinking of the "Moskva" was one of Ukraine's first significant victories, showcasing its military capabilities.
On April 13, 2022, the Ukrainian armed forces carried out a successful attack on the Russian cruiser "Moskva", using R-360 Neptune missiles. As a result of this attack, a fire broke out, and the ship sank the next day. Russia claims that 396 crew members were evacuated, with only one sailor killed, but independent reports suggest a higher number of casualties.
According to the "New York Times," the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden was not aware of Ukraine's plans to attack the "Moskva." When the news of the cruiser's sinking reached the media, American officials reacted with "surprise" and "anger."
Some members of Biden's administration were reportedly panicked, as they had no intention "to enable the Ukrainians to attack such a potent symbol of Russian power."
The Ukrainian command reacted quite differently. Upon seeing the sunken cruiser, they reportedly said, "Oh my God. Thanks a lot. Bye!"
What did the sinking of the "Moskva" mean for Ukraine?
"The sinking was a signal triumph — a display of Ukrainian skill and Russian ineptitude. But the episode also reflected the disjointed state of the Ukrainian-American relationship in the first weeks of the war," reported the "New York Times."
As described by the "NYT," during one of the first American-Ukrainian meetings, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi said that they were the ones fighting the Russians, so he didn't understand why he should listen to Washington's advice. Later, he changed his mind because he understood that the USA was providing them with intelligence data.
Interestingly, Americans conveyed information about the location of Russian troops to Syrskyi via phone. The Ukrainian command, including Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, did not like this. They believed that this way, Syrskyi was strengthening his position.
The cruiser "Moskva" was the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and participated in many operations, including the attack on Ukraine's Snake Island.
