‘How the hell did you allow the Moskva to be sunk?’: TV anchor dubbed ‘Putin’s voice’ rages at Russian navy over flagship’s loss as Kremlin still refuses to say how many sailors died
- A Putin-affiliated TV presenter said he was ‘furious’ after the Moskva’s sinking
- Vladimir Solovyov, 58, ranted about the sinking of the warship on his programme
- Solovyov is known as ‘Putin’s voice’ for his alignment with state propaganda
- It appeared he was parroting Putin’s own fury over the attack during the show
A leading Russian TV presenter known as ‘Putin’s voice’ has expressed cold fury at the sinking of the Black Sea flagship Moskva.
It appeared that Vladimir Solovyov was articulating the Kremlin leader’s own anger when he launched a full-frontal attack on the Navy in a nationwide broadcast.
‘I am furious about what happened to the Black Sea Fleet’s flagship, Moskva,’ said the state TV anchor, sanctioned for his links to Putin.
‘I am simply furious.’
‘And yes, we say it was quite old, and went through repairs and, yes, this series of ships has vulnerabilities.
‘I get it.
‘But tell me this: how did you manage to lose it Explain me, why the hell you were in that particular area of the Black Sea, at that time?’
Leading Russian TV presenter known as ‘Putin’s voice’ said he was ‘simply furious’ after the sinking of Russia’s flagship, the Moskva
Russian state media has officially stated the Moskva sunk during rough seas despite reports it was attacked by Ukrainian missiles while close to the shoreline in Sevastopol
Russia released an undated video claiming to show survivors of the attack over the weekend. It is still unclear how many perished, with estimates that it runs into the hundreds. Ukraine claimed the missile attack on the warship killed all 500 on board including captain
The first images of the sinking of the Moskva emerged on Monday capturing the moments after the Ukrainian missiles sunk the cruiser
The loss of the Moskva is the biggest single humiliation for the Russian war effort in a campaign that Vladimir Putin hoped would see Ukraine roll over and submit to his hegemony in a matter of days.
Solovyov raged: ‘And I don’t care what exactly happened – if indeed [it was] the two Neptune missiles as the Ukrainians said.
‘Anyway, since when was a combat ship scared of a missile strike, since it has a defence system?
‘So, was something not activated?
‘Okay. Even if it was hit with two missiles, and it ignited the ammunition…
‘What happened to your fire fighting system?’
His rant contrasted with recent Sunday evening where he has lauded the Russian war machine and heaped blame on the West, for example accusing Britain of choreographing the massacre in Bucha, claiming the horrors were staged and had nothing to do with Putin’s forces.
His blast echoes other whispers that Putin was left incandescent by the loss of the Moskva.
The Kremlin went into denial over the sinking and it is still unclear how many perished, with estimates that it runs into the hundreds.
Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, the current commander of the Russian navy, met with surviving members of the Moskva’s crew in Sevastopol
An officer of the Russian Navy, Vice Admiral Igor Osipov holds the rank of admiral since 2021, and is commander in chief of the Black Sea Fleet since 2019. Rumors began circulating of his arrest following the attack on the flagship
A mourning ceremony for those killed aboard the Moskva cruiser was held in Sevastopol on April 15, 2022
Footage of some of the ‘rescued crew’ lining up on a Sevastopol parade ground – broadcast on Saturday – failed to clarify the matter.
It showed perhaps 150 sailors, including an officer who closely resembled 1st rank Captain Anton Kuprin, commander of the Moskva, who the Ukrainians claimed had been killed in the sinking.
Yet the date the Defence Ministry footage was filmed was unclear.
So too was the fate of sailors not present from a crew which is believed to number 510.
Solovyov appeared to have been given license to hit out at the navy – indicating that the Kremlin is seeking to find a culprit for the catastrophic loss of the cruiser.
There are suggestions that Vice Admiral Igor Osipov, commander of the Black Sea Fleet, has been detained or suspended over the loss of the flagship.
Vladimir Putin is pictured next to president of Egypy Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on board the Moskva cruiser in August 2014
Putin was said to have been enraged upon hearing of the destruction of the ship
The sinking of the flagship has been called the biggest single humiliation for the Russians since the war in Ukraine began
Yesterday’s parade was overseen by the head of the navy Admiral Nikolay Yevmenov, 60, with Osipov nowhere to be seen.
Highly-paid Solovyov is sanctioned by the West and his two Italian villas targeted by protesters.
The open air pool at one of his Lake Como retreats was filled with red dye to resemble blood.
Paving stones and walls were also smeared red.
Graffiti reading ‘Solovyov killer’ was sprayed at the entrance.
His other villa was targeted with burning tyres hurled over the exterior wall.
The attack on the Russian Navy is in stark contrast to his earlier invective concerning the Bucha horror.
In this case, he told state-funded Rossiya 1: ‘It’s primarily the British who are working there.
The Moskva cruiser was shown on video during the mourning ceremony. Russian media said it sank as it was being towed to port after a fire broke out on board
‘Apparently this whole provocation was planned by the British….’
The scene was contrived to send a message saying “look at the atrocities of Russian troops, here are civilians shot and killed, he claimed.
‘And the corpses are lying right along the road, but for some reason only one road.’
He warned Russian viewers that ‘we are blatantly being led to the Yugoslav scenario.
‘We are now being played the Srebrenica scenario.
‘We will be accused of genocide very soon.
‘Everything is being done for that.
‘Now they are using a plot that is unfolding before our eyes.’
Seeking to divert blame for Putin’s forces, he claimed that in Bucha ‘there was no permanent control of Russian troops – it changed hands all the time.’
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