₦airaland Forum

Russians Troops and Equipment CAPTURED By 80th Air Brigade


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmwzK2ntd7I

Ukrainian forces use drones to drop explosives on Russian targets.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO8nSNtGRYA

Ukrainian military blast multiple Russian targets.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr76SIbDPKw

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been invited to the G20 summit in November, which will also be attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the president of host nation Indonesia said Friday.

“I have invited President Zelenskyy to attend the G20 summit," said Joko Widodo, suggesting a compromise had been reached following Western pressure to bar Russia from the event in response to its invasion of Ukraine.

Putin confirmed in a phone call with Widodo he will attend the summit, to take place on Bali island, the Indonesian leader said in a livestreamed address. Russia is a G20 member, while Ukraine is not.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Indonesia has faced fierce pressure from Western countries, led by the United States, to bar Russia from the summit.

But Jakarta had insisted that, as the host, it must remain impartial, while US President Joe Biden had suggested Ukraine could take part.

Zelensky had announced in a tweet that he was invited to the summit by Indonesia on Wednesday, following a call with Widodo.

Zelenskyy shared on Twitter that he and Widodo spoke Wednesday and discussed food security issues, which officials warn will be exacerbated by Russia's war in Ukraine.

He said he also thanked his Indonesian counterpart for his support of Ukraine's "sovereignty and territorial integrity, in particular for a clear position in the United Nations.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.barrons.com/amp/news/ukraine-s-zelensky-russia-s-putin-invited-to-g20-summit-indonesian-leader-01651224608

Fresh Russian military casualties in Ukraine :

True scale of Putin’s ‘tank graveyard’ revealed as Russia’s losses mount up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPGrFs5Nd28


Ukrainian precision missile 'destroys Russian tank' narrowly missing church

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8F9_0ydvKI

Russian tank column destroyed after Ukrainian drone hunt & artillery blitz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jox3gal7e9A

Ukrainian forces destroy two Russian tanks with Stugna-P missiles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN51Yga6HaQ

Four Russian tanks destroyed by a single Ukrainian missile ops

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyrFB4pvx0s

Putin's tank force in smoking ruins as Ukraine target Russian column in Zaporizhzhia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlv6TgXOS5g

Today : Ukrainian forces shoot down Russian troop plane carrying hundreds soldiers near Kyiv airport

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcwCyWWQASg

Ukrainian forces 'blow up Russian tank' using British-made missile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwy-NkBOrdQ

Merisbankie:
same applies to uk

Yes

That is why I insist that a nuclear conflict has no winners. Everyone will loose.

So it is pointless for Putin the mad man to brag with his Weapons

SwattiLee:
I strongly believe Putin wouldn't have invaded Ukraine if Trump was in office.

We can accuse Trump of being anything, but we can never accuse him of being weak.

The world needs strong and decisive leaders.

THE KING � IS COMING BACK!

George Bush's madness and love for war is more concentrated than that of Trump,

Yet during his tenure, Putin invaded Georgia.

Putin would have invaded Ukrainia regardless of who sits in the oval office.

Putin's plan to Resurrect the old Soviet Union has no respect for who the American president is. He sees their policy towards Russia as the same.

I have Never being a fan of Trump the Racist.

But he is speaking the truth here...

The US has far more advanced weapons but they won't reveal it or brag with it.

Only empty vessels like Russia and North Korea make noise with Weapon testing and announcements.

There is nothing to brag about with nuclear weapons because there are no winners in a nuclear conflict.

seunny4lif:
USSR did not invade Vietnam bro.
North Vietnam invited USSR advisers and USSR supplied North Vietnam.
Not invade.

In other words,

The list includes proxy wars wherein Russia provided materials support for a combating nation, but did not directly participate in hostilities (at least, not openly).

That was my point...

seunny4lif:
USSR invaded Vietnam? When was that?

Find your answer in the screenshot below.

Modified :

This list includes proxy wars wherein Russia provided materials support for a combating nation, but did not directly participate in hostilities (at least, not openly).

tsdarkside:
outnumber and outgun by all who exactly....
the other strong nations dont agree....

When Putin attacks one,

They would all agree by default.

fuckingAyaya:
Can't wait to see 10 of this loaded with nukes in moscow

only 1 of this (Spirit) can carry enough nuclear weapons to finish the dreams of the mad man.

10 (fully loaded with nuclear warheads) over the Russian airspace would be devastating.

skoskosko:
Indeed, it is amazing how you carefully started your narrations from the events of 2014. How you careful forgot how the west overthrew a democratically elected government of yanukovich simply because he was pro Russia, something undeniable with Victoria nuland and co caught on camera distributing cookies. Amazing how you also forgot how they ensured he was replaced with a pro western poroshenko who immediately got to amend the constitution of Ukraine to include NATO ascension as a constitutional goal. Ukraine already applied for NATO membership since 2008, but infusing it into the constitution makes it lawful path to every Ukrainian government. You failed to see how this eventually forced Russia into a military confrontation which resulted in the Crimean annexation and the Donbass stalemate. How you conveniently forgot how Minsk 1 & 2 were negotiated to finally bring about peace to the Donbass and effectively stop Ukrainian nato ascension. How you conveniently forgot that zelensky won his election on two mantra; 1) fight corruption, 2) peace in Donbass. So tell me, what changed, the moment he assumed the presidency, he all of a sudden made a U turn, he no longer wanted Minsk 2, why? With Minsk 2, NATO ascension is dead because the Donbass being autonomous would veto it. The question I want you to answer is why was zelensky so adamant on killing Minsk 2. Why was it impossible for both Germany and France to convince him to implement it. The answer is found in the man behind the mask. If NATO had no hidden agenda like you want to portray, why were the two draft treaties, one to NATO, one to the US arrogantly rebuffed? Of course I know you cannot answer honestly, but you want to make it appear as Russia was not patient, was not diplomatic enough. All the way from 2008 to 2022, a whole 12 years in negotiations and maneuvering. If NATO was a constitutional assignment for Ukraine having officially tendered a bid, what would you have the Russian leadership do? Fold their arms and hope that NATO rejects the ascension of Ukraine? And if someday NATO accept Ukraine, it becomes fait acompli as going against it would be going against a 31 nation alliance, having been effectively encircled. I know you are pro US, sometimes, be objective and drop the hypocrisy, look at what is currently happening in the Solomon Islands, that too is a sovereign nation been threatened for making a sovereign decision.

I agree that with nukes and an efficient triad with the assurance of a second strike capability, no nation would invade Russia militarily, but why should thesame US be worried about Soviet missiles in Cuba when it has nukes too, an effective triad and the assurance of a second strike?

Bros,

Permit me to make some points.

If you believe that I am wrong, correct me because we learn everyday.

1 - it was not the West that forced out Mr. Yanukovych.

it was his failure to listen to the Ukrainian people's desire for him to sign a formal association agreement with the European Union rather than try to join NATO.

His people wanted closer ties with the European Union, he wanted closer ties with Russia. That was where the problem came from.

Mr. Putin pressured Mr. Yanukovych to reject the agreement, which led to the Euromaidan protests starting in 2013 that eventually ousted Mr. Yanukovych

A leader that would not listen to the aspirations of the majority of the people is not fit for office.

Let me use Nigeria as an example.

Would you say that it was Obama and Cameron that ousted Goodluck Jonathan ?

No..... A majority of Nigerians kicked him out of office with their PVC when nationwide protests against his administration failed to oust him.

Even though Obama and Cameron were known critics of the Jonathan administration, it would be wrong to accuse them of ousting Jonathan.

Nigerians in 2014 - 2015 swallowed the CHANGE mantra...

The APC even hired David Axerold's AKPD Message and Media firm. This firm had known ties with the Obama administration and campaign.

But it was Nigerians and their desire for Change that defeated Jonathan not the West.

Mr. Yanukovych decided to run to Russia without waiting to loose the next election. (Because he would have lost Woefully)

Maybe because of fear for his life, which is understandable. Because the protest became violent and they were demanding his resignation.

But blaming the West is a No No.

If your people want to align themselves to Europe, why resist and stand against their dreams because you are a Russian puppet ?

2 - On the Issue of Ukrainian NATO Ascension...

It is not as easy as it may seem because Ukraine does not currently meet the criteria for joining the Alliance.

In 2008, President George W. Bush pushed NATO to issue a declaration that Ukraine and Georgia would become members in the future despite reservations from U.S. intelligence agencies.

However, the alliance has never offered either country a formal action plan to join, a necessary step for them to do so.


A - Ukraine must improve its political and legal systems before they can be accepted by NATO.

President Biden on his 2014 visit to Ukraine. called on Ukrainian leaders in their house of parliament to fight the cancer of corruption that is endemic in their system.

In a 2020 analysis, Transparency International, an anti-corruption watchdog, ranked Ukraine 117th out of 180 countries on its corruption index, lower than any NATO nation.

B - NATO (especially the European member countries) wants to avoid greater Russian hostility.

If Ukraine were to join NATO or even giving the green light to join, Russia could also impose other costs on Europe, such as withholding gas exports.

And Germany and many other NATO nations prefer to choose their battles with Russia, given its proximity and Mr. Putin’s aggressive nature. They know he and other Russian officials are obsessed with Ukraine.

Given all that, Ukraine would almost certainly be unable to meet the third main criterion to join NATO.

C - Approval from all 30 members.

Currently this is not possible for Ukraine because Victor Orban's Hungary would block any move for Ukraine to join NATO.

Victor Orban is a staunch ally of the Kremlin.

The principal objection would be: Does such a move actually contribute to the stability in Europe, or would it contribute to destabilization ?

I think it’s indisputable there wouldn’t be consensus among the 30 members, even though all allies agree that Ukraine has the right to aspire to become a NATO member.

So as it stands, Ukraine cannot join NATO..

Ukraine's NATO membership aspirations is not the issue.... They have got no shot at it and Russia is clearly aware of this fact.

Russia is only using the NATO issue as a pretext for an invasion in a Bid to Resurrect the old Soviet Union.

Putin have publicly decried the fall of the Soviet Union and he would like to restore it .

OLAADEGBU:
Just In Twitter set to accept Elon Musk’s $43 billion buyout offer: report
By Ariel Zilber
April 25, 2022 8:48am Updated

https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/elon-musk-twitter-account-logo.jpg

Confirm Story

Game on.

texazzpete:
Therein lies the issue. You ARE gullible and woefully uninformed.

Zelensky became President of Ukraine in 2019. By that time, Russia had already annexed Crimea, stealing it by force from an unprepared Ukraine in 2014. and in that same 2014, Russia had already triggered a civil war in Donetsk and Luhansk, with both regions forming breakaway republics. So i'm not sure why you'd go cap in hand to beg Russia who were already illegally occupying Ukrainian territory.

Imagine saying you'd go to Russia to get permission to allow the two territories to be autonomous, but under the Ukrainian umbrella. That's pretty much what Minsk II specified, but by 2018 it had already been violated multiple times and fighting was still ongoing.

But worse still is your sheer gullibility in falling for the Russian pretext that the war was about NATO. How can it be, when Russia already knew Ukraine wasn't going to be allowed into NATO? Between wariness of a russian response, the fact that NATO would never admit a member state that was under internal unrest/civil war and the opposition of France, Germany, Italy and the US to Ukraine joining, there's no way that Ukraine's application would have been accepted. And Putin knew this.

This war, this senseless conflict is all because - right from start - the russians have always considered Ukraine to be a 'fake' country. It has long been Putin's dream to reunite an imperial Russia with Russia, Belarus and Ukraine in one country. Russian literature and hardline philosophy has long called for the annexation of Ukraine.

You should read about Dugin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksandr_Dugin. Putin and multiple members of the Russian leadership are fans of that philosophy. You should also check out statements made by the Orthodox patriarch of Moscow where he called for the annexation of Ukraine and even the baltic states.

Putin's calculations were driven by age (he's 69 and thus is running out of time to fulfil his dream), military briefings from his aides who convinced him that Kyiv would fall within days and the belief that Biden was a weak president who would be too distracted by internal US political wrangling to interfere.
As we've seen now, his decision to go to war has been a catastrophe for Ukraine, but also Russia. With approx 20000 killed, thousands of vehicles destroyed, economic sanctions beginning to bite, failed military campaigns a significant loss of prestige for Russia and the fact that they're drifting into China's sphere of influence.

Don't let anyone deceive you that this has anything to do with NATO. It doesn't at all. Because, thanks to Russia's 6500 nuclear warheads, nobody is going to invade Russia. Even North Korea with a handful of nukes are completely safe from invasion talk less of Russia.

Abeg see Better Person.

May God Bless You for this your write up.

At least I have learnt something today about NATO membership requirements from this your post.

I kept wondering why that in almost all the Eastern European countries, there are Russian backed Separatists and regions.

I understand now from your post above.

As long as Russia keeps fomenting trouble and internal conflicts in Eastern European countries, they don't see NATO (Their biggest nightmare) coming close.

Watch out :

Very soon you will hear of Russian backed Separatists and regions in Finland and Sweden . They may even be there now. I have to check online

The wicked Putin is now setting his eyes on poor Moldavia. Poor Moldavia oo

There were gunshots and explosion today in Transnistria...... (The breakaway Russian backed region)

Very soon he would tell the world that the Moldovan government is killing the Russian speaking population there.

So he is going for another "Special War Crimes Operation" in Moldavia.

This whole campaign is about the resurrection of the old Soviet Union..... But their plan is dead on arrival.

We saw it from the Onset.

olas24u:
We do not use orisa to do bad things. Everything you have written is for yourself.

Shut up.

Do your worst.

You claim to know how to swear, Go ahead and let's see who would fall.

Mad dirty thing.

olas24u:
Ase ase !

Repeat that

word for word to your family members

And look yourself in the mirror and repeat it to yourself...

You Mad beast that would die untimely..

olas24u:
Oni ku re ,ogun lakaye lo ma pa e

See this Mad Slowpoke

Your Pronouncements falls Upon your head and the heads of remaining family members.

It will manifest with speed in your useless life and the worthless life of your family members.

Rubbish

olas24u:
You want me to swear for you abi?be careful ,if you want ro live long.

Since you know how to swear, I have an assignment for you.

Go to the grave of your parents that you killed and swear for them to rot in Hell.

When you get home, swear for your siblings and the rest of your family members ----- (that is if you have not killed them).

You irremediable Lunatic.

Also swear for your life, that you would die untimely..

Nonsense.

olas24u:
They are all dead and am alone in this world .They send their greetings from the land of the dead.ode because of visa ,that is why some people make certain comments.werey ,oloshi ,oniranu ,oponu,odessiin.

Ok

So you have insulted your parents to their early grave.

Very soon, you would go and join them.

Now I know why you were afflicted with chronic incurable madness from your village

Because you killed the irresponsible people that gave birth to an illegitimate and reckless Dolt like you.

Go ahead and insult your remaining family members since that is all your irresponsible parents taught you.

Dirty thing.

olas24u:
If you nobi were. You go they type they use

Some of them where denied visa by Western nations, that is why they are pouring out their anger online. They want to see the West fail by all means.

Some of them were repatriated from Western countries, so they would be happy to hear that the west is losing this war at all fronts.

Oloshi

Still spewing out insult ? No wahala...

Charity begins at home... Start your insultive charity at home

You are free to call your Mama Were

You are free to call the beast that impregnated your imperious whorish mother Oloshi.

olas24u:
Lol!see reasoning ,we been there ,we done that ,we see clearly ,i have been to almost every continent of the world and still counting.solething is wrong with your brains.

Was I refering to you ? ....... Wow

A guiltless conscience fears no, and would not respond to accusations or allegations.

You responded because your conscience is heavy.

Since you reply me with insult, I would like you to repeat the same insult to your family members... Word for word

Tell them that something is wrong with their Brains...

They have to visit YABA LEFT.

God1000:
thank God we still have people like you, I agree wholeheartedly

Bros,

Forget about those Anti-West Propagandist.

If you read some of the old posts of these Pro-Russian Separatists in Nairaland you would understand the source of their frustration.

Some of them where denied visa by Western nations, that is why they are pouring out their anger online. They want to see the West fail by all means.

Some of them were repatriated from Western countries, so they would be happy to hear that the west is losing this war at all fronts.

If you present them with a US, Canada, UK visa, or a Russian, Chinese, North Korean citizenship.

They would rush the first option.

Na bad belle dey worry some of them.

Russian forces shot down two Ukrainian drones near the border overnight, a regional governor said Monday.

“Today at 4:15 am Russian air defense crews shot down two Ukrainian drones” in the Rylsky district on the border with Ukraine, Kursk region governor Roman Starovoyt said on Telegram.

“There are no casualties, injuries, or damage. The situation is completely under control.”

Earlier on Monday, Russia’s emergency situations ministry said a large fuel depot was on fire in the town of Bryansk, around 200 kilometers (125 miles) north of Rylsk.

There was no immediate evidence of a link between the two incidents.

Russia has repeatedly accused Ukrainian forces of launching strikes on its soil, warning that in response Moscow’s troops will intensify attacks on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv.

At the beginning of April, the governor of the Belgorod region, which is also close to the Ukraine border, said that Kyiv helicopters had fired at a fuel depot there.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thedefensepost.com/2022/04/25/russia-shoots-ukraine-drones/amp/

God1000:
Ukraine will eventually prevail in the end

insha'Allah

David would finally bring Goliath to its knees

God1000:
what about the countries like Finland, Sweden, etc that didn't join NATO, is America threatening them with sanctions

Good question

No oo

America didn't threaten them with Sanctions.

It is rather Russia that is threating these nations of consequences if they join NATO.

It is Russia that is now talking about invading poor Moldova.

It is Russia that is planning a Fake referendum in the Donbas region.

It is Russia that is planning a fake referendum in Georgia according to US intelligence.

One thing is for sure, if poor Moldova is invaded, Sweden and Finland would Join NATO with speed.

Meanwhile in other news,

Ukraine has invaded Russia. Destroying a fuel depot.

https://www.nairaland.com/7095374/russian-oil-depot-near-ukraine.

The Ukrainian military is taking the battle to enemies doorstep.

A Russian fuel depot close to the Ukraine border has caught fire, said emergency services authorities.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur9VcaSD3zg

A fire broke out on Monday morning at an oil depot in Bryansk, a large Russian city around 150km from Ukraine, and 370km south-west of Moscow.

The blaze occurred at a premises operated by Transneft-Druzhba JSC and at another location, officials told RIA Novosti.
No casualties have been reported and there is no threat to residential buildings, the Ministry of Emergency Situations has advised.

“The evacuation of the population is not planned. According to preliminary information, there were no victims,” its press service stated, according to TASS. Local residents have reported that explosions were heard and sirens are audible in social media videos.

Another fire was recorded in the Fokinsky district of the city, the causes of which have not yet been established, Moscow daily Kommersant has reported. Bryansk is home to over 400,000 people, and is an important regional hub.

Another fire was recorded in the Fokinsky district of the city, the causes of which have not yet been established, Moscow daily Kommersant has reported. Bryansk is home to over 400,000 people, and is an important regional hub.

An Interfax source revealed that a 10,000-ton tank of diesel fuel was ignited. State-owned Rossiya-24 TV has suggested that the second object that caught fire was a diesel fuel depot in a military unit.

Before Monday’s incident, officials in Bryansk Region had warned of a potential terrorist threat. Similar fears were announced in parts of Voronezh Region and the entirety of the smaller Belgorod Region, where Ukraine was accused of shelling an oil depot earlier this month. The incidents come as the Russian military offensive – which began on February 24 – continues in the neighboring state.

Also overnight, the governor of Kursk Region, Roman Starovoit, claimed that a Russian air defense system had shot down two Ukrainian drones in the sky over the village of Borovskoye

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2022/04/25/2700843/russian-oil-depot-near-ukraine-border-goes-up-in-flames-video/amp

Below are few videos of serious Russian Military Casualties that they have suffered at the hands of the Ukrainian military that the Kremlin Propaganda machine would not like the world to see.

More videos of Russian casualties would be uploaded as the war continues..

---

Entire column of Russian tanks destroyed by Ukrainian forces in Donetsk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka4ToCiAEyM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKc3hf8An8o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DD336XiXE8

Ka-52 Russian Attack Helicopter Destroyed by FIM-92 Stinger Missile - Russia vs Ukraine - Simulation - ArmA3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8AXzreryYA

Ukraine Demolishes Putin's Super Tanks | What Explains The Huge Damage To Captured Russian T-72s?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSeWVHB5GX8

Ukrainian drone hits Russian missile launchers north of Kyiv

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0CttOf2KZc

Ukrainian missile operator describes blowing up Russian 'Z tanks'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvRnbIeTDAo

Russian Military commanders are abandoning their own soldiers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcemXAyNPCw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbGB-N_MKAc

Belgorod: Remains of Russian Vehicles DISCOVERED By "Stork-100"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3V8PHqCAUw

Ukraine’s resistance has humbled one of the world’s biggest military powers |

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0Z_lqzy7n0

The Russia's tanks that Failed Woefully in Ukraine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVu5Kodf5gA

Ukrainian unit destroys Russian 'Z' tank in bombed out Luhansk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twavQHyAFdY

Ukrainian tank hunters destroy Russian armour in Donetsk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owbmtXwUcMo

Finally, Russia Defence Ministry admits loss of lives in Sunken Moskva

After so many lies and little information provided on how the Moskva was destroyed and the whereabouts of some of the crew members,

Russia Confirms One Death Among Crew Of Sunken Moskva, 27 Missing

The Russian Ministry of Defense has admitted that one crew member died and 27 are missing as a result of a fire on the Moskva missile cruiser last week.

The remaining 396 crew members were evacuated to other ships of the Black Sea Fleet, Interfax said, quoting a statement from the ministry.

Since the ship sank there have been reports quoting relatives of sailors who served on the cruiser about the dead and missing.

The ministry said that it has been providing assistance to the relatives of the deceased and the missing.

Russia acknowledged on April 14 that the Moskva had sunk, attributing the disaster to a fire that caused ammunition on the ship to detonate.

The ministry claimed that the entire crew of 500 was evacuated from the ship, which Ukraine and the United States said sank after Ukrainian forces hit the vessel on April 13 with at least one Neptune missile.

A senior Pentagon official said on April 15 that the loss of the ship was a "big blow" for Moscow. The official said then that the strike was believed to have caused casualties, but it was difficult to assess how many.

In other words, 28 people died as a result of the Ukrainian attack on Russia's most important ship on the Black sea.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKqhQI1FSCc&pp=QAFIAQ%3D%3D

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.rferl.org/amp/ukraine-russia-moskva-sailors/31816897.html

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/world/russia-warship-moskva-sailor-dead-b2063655.html%3famp

---

ALSO READ :


Moskva crew Relatives defy Putin


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnfdJzwDC3s

Relatives of doomed Moskva crew defy Russian censors with unofficial memorial - as Ukraine claims ALL 510 aboard died and US confirms missile DID hit Putin flagship which was 'carrying nuclear weapons'

Russia had earlier tried to downplay the damage, and claimed that the Moskva was still afloat and was returning to port under its own steam. Moscow also announced that the crew had been evacuated onto other Black Sea Fleet vessels.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlKjJ4a89_A

A senior U.S. official said Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the two missiles were Neptune anti-ship missiles. The U.S. believes there were Russian casualties, though numbers are unclear, the official added.

With the conflicting reports continuing, a moving 'mourning ceremony' was held for the Moskva and its sailors in Sevastopol, its home port.

It was unofficial but there was no mention of the number who had died, yet it seemed clear from this sombre ceremony presided over by a priest that there had been a significant loss of life.

A wreath was placed by a Black Fleet statue which read: 'To the ship and the sailors'.

Anton Gerashchenko, an advisor to the Kyiv Interior Ministry, claimed today that 'the explosion was so strong that the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet sank in a matter of minutes'.

He claimed to have heard this from sources in Sevastopol, the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

'Apparently, as a result of the fire, the warheads of the large P-1000 cruise missile - Vulkan - detonated. And there were 16 of them on board the cruiser.'

As a result 'all the crew of the cruiser Moskva died'. This included the ship's captain, Anton Kuprin, Gerashchenko said.

The battleship had a usual crew number of 510 sailors.

He claimed: 'The leadership of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation have deliberately hidden the truth from relatives and friends of the crew members.'

His account contradicts other earlier versions, including that a Turkish vessel rescued more than 50.

If Kyiv's claim is correct, then the deaths of the sailor would add to the already huge death toll suffered by Moscow's forces during Putin's invasion of Ukraine. It is believed over 20,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in the conflict.

Meanwhile, Mykhailo Samus, director of a Lviv-based military think-tank; Andriy Klymenko, editor of Black Sea News; and Ukrainian newspaper Defence Express all warned that the Moskva could have been carrying two nuclear warheads designed to be fitted to its P-1000 'carrier killer' missiles.

If true, the loss of the warheads into the Black Sea could spark a 'Broken Arrow' incident - American military slang for potentially lethal accidents involving nuclear weapons.

'On board the Moskva could be nuclear warheads - two units,' Samus said, while Klymenko called on other Black Sea nations - Turkey, Romania, Georgia, and Bulgaria - to insist on an explanation. 'Where are these warheads? Where were they when the ammunition exploded,' he asked.

Meanwhile Ilya Ponomarev, a politician exiled from Russia for opposing Putin's 2014 annexation of Crimea, said just 58 of the 510-strong crew have since been accounted for - raising the prospect that 452 men went down with the ship in what would be a bitter loss for Vladimir Putin's already beleaguered army.

The figure, while unconfirmed, is consistent with losses suffered on exploding warships. During the Russian Navy's infamous defeat at the Battle of Tsushima against Japan, an explosion on board the Borodino - slightly smaller than the Moskva - saw all-but one of her 855 crew killed.

Russia claims all the Moskva's sailors were 'successfully evacuated' but video taken in Sevastopol overnight shows dozens of cars purportedly belonging to the sailors still parked in the port - suggesting their owners had not returned to collect them.

Rumours have also began circulating in Ukrainian media that Admiral Igor Osipov - the commander of Russia's Black Sea fleet which the Moskva led - has been arrested in what would be the latest in a string of detentions linked to the bungled invasion.

Leonid Nevzlin, a Russian-Israeli businessman who fled the country in 2003 after being targeted by Putin, said yesterday that 20 Russian generals have been arrested over the military's failings along with 150 FSB officers for providing false information about Ukraine's defences.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10722619/amp/To-sailors-Relatives-doomed-Moskva-crew-defy-Russian-censors-unofficial-memorial.html

Botlord:
That's good...
It's just the citizen of less than 17 million I pity...

If they join NATO Putin would not be able to bully the 17 million citizens you referred to...

Why can't Putin carry his madness into small Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania...

They are covered by NATO....

Canada would support including Sweden and Finland in the NATO military alliance, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine has prompted both countries to consider joining.

"Conversations are being had around Sweden and Finland looking to join NATO, and Canada, of course, is very supportive of that," Trudeau told reporters when asked if he backed the two countries joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

https://www.reuters.com/world/canada-would-be-supportive-sweden-finland-joining-nato-pm-trudeau-2022-04-21/