Ukraine ping
Apart from the symbolic aspect of the name, the Moskva (previously the Slava) is the first (presumably) formerly nuclear-armed vessel to be sunk in action.
I have looked everywhere. There is no evidence it was sunk in action. No imagery of missile hit. No satellite photos of such a thing.
I have just examined Exocets from the Falklands War. The warhead size is identical to Neptun. Exocets hit several UK ships in the Falklands.
Every one of them sank — from being towed. Even the famous HMS Sheffield sank and the missile that hit it never exploded. Residual propellant set fires. She sank days later while being towed. Towing is very risky even for unharmed ships, but if weather is heavy there is no choice. Atlantic Conveyor too Exocet hits. Sank while towed.
Case in point, destroyer HMS Glamorgan took an Exocet hit. Repaired. She was sold to the Chilean Navy and served there for 12 years.
And then it sank. While being towed.
To my knowledge, she’s the first capital surface combatant sank in battle since the Falklands War.
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I’d be very surprised to find out that there were no nuclear weapons aboard the Moskva. Even in peace time it would seem prudent to have a couple on board such a ship.