WASHINGTON (January 27, 2026) – After years of denials, Russia has admitted for the first time that a Ukrainian missile sank its prized Black Sea flagship, The Moskva. Serving as Russia’s most valued ship, The Moskva sank in 2022, just seven weeks after Moscow launched its full scale invasion on Ukraine. Kyiv officials claimed it was struck by Ukrainian Neptune missiles, a claim Moscow dismissed while attributing the sinking to an onboard fire.
In terms of the war, this new development shows that the ship’s loss raises doubts about Russia’s naval and war capabilities. The sinking prompted Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, to announce plans to restore the navy’s capabilities, morale, and professionalism.
GW experts are available for analysis on these developments.
Bob Ortung is a professor of Political Science and International Affairs, director of the Elliott School's Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies. He has spent extensive time conducting field research in post-Soviet Eurasia and is currently working on identity politics and political system change, with a special focus now on public opinion dynamics in Russia and Ukraine. His work has won two prizes from the American Political Science Association and includes the books The Zelensky Effect and Patronal Politics.
Henry Hale is a professor of Political Science and International Affairs, and director of the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at the GW Elliott School of International Affairs. He has spent extensive time conducting field research in post-Soviet Eurasia and is currently working on identity politics and political system change, with a special focus now on public opinion dynamics in Russia and Ukraine. His work has won two prizes from the American Political Science Association and includes the books The Zelensky Effect (Hurst/Oxford 2022) and Patronal Politics (Cambridge, 2015).
To schedule an interview, please contact Nadia Payne at nadia [dot] payne
gwu [dot] edu (nadia[dot]payne[at]gwu[dot]edu) or GW media at gwmediagwu [dot] edu (gwmedia[at]gwu[dot]edu).
-GW-