A memorial to Russian sailors killed during the war in Ukraine indicates that 19 sailors were killed in the sinking of the Moskva battleship, according to photos shared by pro-war bloggers and analyzed by independent media. Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed one death and 27 missing sailors in the April 13, 2022, sinking of the Moskva guided missile cruiser, following reports that it was struck by a Ukrainian missile. Subsequently, at least 17 of the missing crew were declared dead by a court in Sevastopol, annexed Crimea.
Dmitry Shkrebets, whose son was declared missing after the sinking of the Moskva, revealed that a memorial to the ship’s crew was unveiled at the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol. Photos published after the unveiling and analyzed by the investigative news website IStories show that the memorial displays 19 sailors’ names with April 13, 2022, listed as the date of their deaths. Two other sailors named on the memorial reportedly had different dates of death, with eleven of the deceased sailors born in 2000 or later.
The images were first shared by the pro-war Telegram channel Rusfleet, which focuses on the naval front of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Shkrebets alleged that some of the sailors’ relatives, the surviving crew members of the Moskva, and its captain were not invited to the unveiling of the memorial. Moscow has rejected claims that the battleship was sunk by a Ukrainian missile, instead attributing the incident to an accidental on-board munitions explosion.
The memorial’s representation of the number of sailors who perished in the Moskva’s sinking, as well as the circumstances surrounding their deaths, have added to the controversy and confusion regarding the incident. The discrepancy in the number of deaths acknowledged by the Defense Ministry and those displayed on the memorial has raised questions about the government’s transparency and accountability in reporting casualties from the conflict in Ukraine.
The unveiling of the memorial has brought attention to the personal stories and tragic losses experienced by the families and loved ones of the sailors who lost their lives in the sinking of the Moskva. The exclusion of some sailors’ relatives and surviving crew members from the memorial ceremony has furthered tensions and grievances among those impacted by the tragedy.
As investigations continue into the sinking of the Moskva and the deaths of the sailors on board, the aftermath of the incident serves as a reminder of the human cost of war and the complexities surrounding the reporting and commemoration of casualties in military conflicts. The memorial stands as a tribute to the fallen sailors, while also highlighting the challenges faced in accurately documenting and honoring their sacrifice amidst the fog of war and conflicting narratives.
