That sinking feeling: Pride of Russia's Black Sea fleet drowns

The flagship of Russia's Black Sea fleet has sunk after what Kyiv said was a Ukrainian missile strike, dealing one of the heaviest blows yet to Moscow’s war effort and providing a powerful symbol of Kyiv’s resistance against a better-armed foe.

Kyiv says it hit the cruiser Moskva with missiles fired from the coast. Russia said the ship sank while being towed in stormy seas after a fire caused by an explosion of ammunition. Moscow said more than 500 sailors had been evacuated. There was no independent confirmation of the fate of the crew.

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.

The Moskva was by far Russia’s largest vessel in the Black Sea fleet, equipped with guided missiles to shoot down planes and attack the shore, and radar to provide air defence cover for the fleet.

Hours before Kyiv said it had struck the ship, it released a postage stamp with a picture of a soldier making an obscene gesture towards it, commemorating the war’s first day when the ship ordered Ukrainian defenders to surrender an island outpost, and they radioed back "Russian warship, go fuck yourself".

President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy paid homage to “those who showed that Russian ships can go — only down to the bottom”.

Russia has used its naval power to blockade Ukrainian ports and threaten a potential amphibious landing along the coast. Without its flagship, its ability to menace Ukraine from the sea could be crippled.

“If reports of Moskva’s sinking prove true it will be emblematic of Russia’s overall military effort thus far,” tweeted Michael Kofman, an expert on Russia’s military. No warship of such size has been sunk during conflict since Argentina’s General Belgrano, torpedoed by the British in the 1982 Falklands war.

Blasts in Kyiv

Kyiv was hit on Friday by some of the most powerful explosions heard since Russian forces withdrew from the area two weeks ago. Moscow said it had struck a plant that made and repaired Ukrainian missiles, including anti-ship missiles. “The number and scale of missile strikes on targets in Kyiv will increase in response to any terrorist attacks or acts of sabotage on Russian territory committed by the Kyiv nationalist regime,” the Russian defence ministry said.

Russia’s defence ministry also claimed it had captured the Ilyich steel works in Mariupol, the besieged eastern port that has seen the war’s heaviest fighting and worst humanitarian catastrophe. Ukrainian defenders are mainly believed to be holding out in Azovstal, another huge steel works.

Both plants are owned by Metinvest — the empire of Ukraine’s richest businessman and backbone of Ukraine’s industrial east — which told Reuters it would never let its enterprises operate under Russian occupation.

Russian court says Google, Wikipedia face fines (Reuters)

A Russian court has threatened Google and Wikipedia-owner Wikimedia Foundation, with fines for failing to delete what it said was "fake" information about the Ukraine conflict, Interfax reported. Russia's communications watchdog that Google would face fines over its failure to delete from video sharing site YouTube content that Moscow considers illegal.

More than 900 civilians dead in Kyiv (Reuters)

The bodies of more than 900 civilians were discovered in the Kyiv region following the withdrawal of Russian forces, the regional police chief said.  He cited police data indicating 95% of the casualties had died from sniper fire and gunshot wounds. “We understand that under the (Russia) occupation, people were simply executed in the streets.”

Macron backs pay cap for CEOs (Bloomberg)

French leader Emmanuel Macron said he would support a pay cap for chief executive officers in a bid to woo left-wing voters ahead of the second round of the presidential election. In a radio interview, Macron joined criticism by the Left against the decision by carmaker Stellantis NV to pay CEO Carlos Tavares ^19.2 million in 2021. “It’s shocking, it’s excessive,” Macron said.

FDA okays Covid breathalyser test (AP/PTI)

The US FDA has issued an emergency use authorisation for what it said is the first device that can detect Covid-19 in breath samples. The InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer is about the size of a piece of carry-on luggage, and can be used in doctor’s offices, hospitals and mobile testing sites. The test can give results in three minutes. 

Clashes erupt at Jerusalem holy site (AP/PTI)

Palestinians clashed with Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Friday as thousands gathered for prayers. Medics said over 150 Palestinians were wounded in the violence. Clashes at the site last year sparked an 11-day war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.