Russia’s Black Sea flagship sinks

The Russian Defense Ministry on Thursday said its damaged missile cruiser Moskva went under in a storm while officers towed it to a port. The governor of Ukraine’s Odesa region said the Ukrainian military had struck the vessel with Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles. Russia admitted to a fire aboard the Moskva but would not confirm any attack. Russia’s military claimed it hit 13 military facilities across Ukraine overnight and struck a factory that repaired anti-ship missiles in Kyiv early Friday.

What’s happening on the Ukrainian battlefront? Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia is drawing closer to conquering the besieged city of Mariupol after weeks of shelling. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said 2,557 civilians evacuated Ukrainian cities Thursday, including 289 from Mariupol. The Russian military has continued to mobilize for a major offensive in eastern Ukraine after retreating from much of the north, including the capital city of Kyiv. The local governor of the eastern Kharkiv region said at least 503 civilians have died there since the Russian invasion began.

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