MOSCOW, Russia: Russia’s Black Sea fleet flagship cruiser, the Moskva, has sunk after reportedly being struck by a Ukrainian missile.

Following the April 13 missile strike, a fire reportedly broke out in the ship’s ammunition storehouse, resulting in the evacuation of the ship’s crew of 500.

Russian officials have announced that the Moskva sunk as it was being towed to port.

Russia’s defence ministry has not acknowledge whether the ship was attacked, claiming the cause of the fire was under investigation.

Ukraine’s southern military command said that it fired on the Russian warship with a Ukrainian-made Neptune anti-ship missile.

Reuters has been unable to verify either country’s statements, and the United States said it is still unable to determine whether the ship was hit by a missile.

“We do not have the capacity at this point to independently verify that but certainly, the way this unfolded, it is a big blow to Russia,” said National security adviser Jake Sullivan.

The sinking of the Moskva is another loss in prestige during Moscow’s struggling campaign on the 50th day of its war in Ukraine. Russia is currently preparing for a new assault in the eastern Donbas region, which is likely to determine the war’s outcome, according to western officials.

Russia’s navy has fired cruise missiles into Ukraine, and its Black Sea fleet’s activities are crucial to supporting land operations in the south of the country.

According to Russian news agencies, the Moskva, commissioned in 1983, was armed with 16 anti-ship Vulkan cruise missiles with a range of at least 440 miles.