Russian warship 'seriously damaged' in Black Sea – Russia says accident, Ukraine missile strike

According to Russian state media, the country's navy's Black Sea flagship has been "seriously damaged" by an ammunition explosion.

"As a result of a fire, ammunition detonated on the Moskva missile cruiser. The ship was seriously damaged," said the Russian defense ministry. 

The cause of the fire, which prompted the evacuation of the ship's 510 person crew, remains unclear.

The governor of Odessa said earlier that Ukrainian forces had managed to hit the Moskva carrier with missile strikes.

"Neptune missiles guarding the Black Sea caused very serious damage to the Russian ship. Glory to Ukraine!" wrote governor Maksym Marchenko on Telegram.

An adviser to the Ukrainian president says he does not know whether the ship will be able to receive help.

The Soviet era ship was previously deployed to Syria, where he served as naval protection for Russian forces at the Hmeimim airbase. It was the ship that, early in the war with Ukraine, approached the troops defending Snake Island and asked them to surrender, only to be rebuffed in a recording that many across the globe would hear.