Norway Defense Chief Flags Increased Tension in Svalbard Gap
Norway’s defense minister said the strategic importance of the energy-rich nation’s polar archipelago is rising due to growing great-power rivalry in the Arctic.
Images and video emerged over the weekend allegedly showing damage to the Russian destroyer, Moskva, the flagship of the Russian Federation’s Black Sea fleet, after it was struck by what Ukraine and the United States claim were Ukrainian missiles.
The ship sank during a storm while it was being towed back to port, the Defense Ministry in Moscow last Thurday.
Ukraine says the ship was hit by two “Neptune” anti-ship cruise missiles, while Russia claims the ship sank after an ammunition explosion and all 500 crew had been evacuated.
gCaptain can not independently verify either sides’ claim, nor the authenticity of the photos and video below.
For comparison, here’s the Moskva pictured below in 2021:

Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up