Celebration In Ukraine Over Sinking Of Warship However Fears Develop Over Doable Retaliation

Former AIDE TO THE GEORGE W. BUSH WHITE HOUSE AND STATE DEPARTMENTS, ELISE JORDAN. JOE, HAS THE MORNING OFF. > > >. We BEGIN WITH THAT. Enormous SETBACK FOR RUSSIA, AS ITS FLAGSHIP VESSEL IN THE BLACK SEA, HAS SUNK.

. Russia’S DEFENSE MINISTRY YESTERDAY SAID THE “ MOSKVA” WAS BEING TOWED TO PORT AFTER SUFFERING HEAVY DAMAGES AND SANK IN A STORM.. A DAY EARLIER UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS SAID THEIR FORCES HIT THE SHIP WITH TWO ANTI-SHIP MISSILES, CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE.

. Moscow DENIED THE CLAIM INSTEAD SAYING THAT A FIRE BEGAN ON BOARD, CAUSING AMMUNITION TO DETONATE. U.S. OFFICIALS SAY THEY CAN NOT CONFIRM WHAT CAUSED THE EXPLOSION ON THE VESSEL.. The MISSILE CRUISER WAS A SYMBOL OF RUSSIA’S NAVAL POWER.

WILLIE, EITHER WAY IT IS SYMBOLIC OF RUSSIA FLAILING TO AN EXTENT., > >. Sure, SYMBOLIC AND STRATEGIC., WE HEARD FROM PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY ADMIRAL JOHN KIRBY YESTERDAY. AT THAT POINT 24 HOURS AGO. He SAID THEY THOUGHT IT WAS BEING TOWED BACK TO RUSSIA.

IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TOWED. We NOW KNOW THAT THAT MASSIVE SHIP, THE FLAGSHIP OF THE BLACK SEA FLEET FOR RUSSIA, HAS SUNK NOW.. Let’S GO STRAIGHT TO UKRAINE. JOINING US NBC NEWS, FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT, RAF SANCHEZ LIVE FROM TURNIP HILL.

RAF. What CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE SHIP? What IT MEANS TO UKRAINE, WHAT IT MEANS TO RUSSIA AND, MORE BROADLY, WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE WAR TODAY, > > Reporter WILLIE GOOD MORNING.. There IS HUGE CELEBRATION HERE IN UKRAINE AT THE NEWS OF THE SINKING OF THIS SHIP.

, THE DEFENSE MINISTER SAYS HE IS LOOKING FORWARD TO SCUBA DIVING IN THE WRECKAGE OF THE “ MOSKVA” AFTER HIS SIDE WINS THIS WAR.. As YOU SAID, IT IS HARD TO OVERSTATE THE SYMBOLISM OF THIS.. The “ MOSKVA” IS OR IT WAS THE FLAGSHIP OF THE RUSSIAN BLACK SEA FLEET.

. Now IT IS LIKELY TO BE REMEMBERED AS THE LARGEST WARSHIP SUNK BY ENEMY FIRE SINCE THE SECOND WORLD WAR.. Now THE RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY SAYS THE SHIP WENT DOWN LAST NIGHT AS IT WAS BEING TOWED INTO PORT FOR REPAIRS, BUT THE UKRAINIAN MILITARY SAYS IT HIT THAT SHIP WITH TWO MISSILES YESTERDAY.

THE RUSSIANS VERY POINTEDLY NOT GIVING ANY CAUSE FOR THE FIRE ABOARD THAT SHIP. THEY’RE. Additionally NOT SAYING HOW MANY OF ITS CREW MEMBERS MAY HAVE DIED IN EITHER THE INITIAL EXPLOSION OR THE SINKING THAT FOLLOWED.

BUT WILLIE. I WILL TELL YOU UNDERNEATH THE CELEBRATION HERE IN UKRAINE. There IS REAL CONCERN ABOUT HOW AND WHEN AND AT WHAT SCALE VLADIMIR PUTIN MAY RETALIATE FOR THIS APPARENT HUMILIATION OUT ON THE BLACK SEA.

ONE OF PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY’S ADVISERS WARNING THAT RUSSIA IS LIKELY TO RESPOND, AND THERE WERE REPORTS OF AIRSTRIKES AROUND KYIV LAST

Ukraine claims its missile sank Russian warship in Black Sea