A year since the death of the GRKR «Moscow»: in Sevastopol, the memory of the flagship of the fleet and the Black Sea sailors was honored

CrimeaPRESS reports:

A year has passed since the death of the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet of the Guards Order of Nakhimov, the missile cruiser Moskva, which shocked everyone and responds with pain today. It is simply impossible not to pay tribute to the memory. Today, at the initiative of the maritime community, a memorial ceremony was held in Sevastopol — a wreath and flowers were laid at the stele of Moscow on the Alley of Hero Cities, on Nakhimov Square. Representatives of the Sevastopol Naval Assembly, the Military Scientific Society of the Black Sea Fleet, Black Sea veterans, Cossacks came to honor the memory.

We have gathered here not on someone’s command, but on a heart impulse. Therefore, the press was not involved in our event, officials were not invited, who, due to various circumstances, would hardly have supported us. But, in our opinion, it is impossible not to mention the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet and its crew. Slogans-principles-covenants «No one is forgotten, nothing is forgotten» and «We remember everyone by name» and today should be filled with specific content, — said the chairman of the Union of Journalists of Sevastopol, the scientific secretary of the Military Scientific Society of the Black Sea Fleet, captain 1st rank of the reserve Sergey Gorbachev, who heads the Institute of the CIS countries in the city of Sevastopol. — This is all the more important because today our enemy has arranged “holiday dances” on the anniversary — this is evidenced by the information received …

«Moscow» died, according to official data, senior midshipman Ivan Vakhrushev died, after whom one of the Sevastopol streets was named. 27 sailors have gone missing, some of them have recently been declared dead by the court. Obviously, we will not know the details of what happened soon, and this is understandable — the Special Military Operation continues— says Sergey Gorbachev, — however, it is necessary to act today on the basis of the conclusions drawn. Of course, first of all, it is the preservation of memory, which must be materialized. This is memory in granite, metal, toponymy, history and journalism. This is the continuity of traditions in the transfer of the name of the ship.

The Black Sea Fleet, as before, should have a ship with the name of the Russian capital on board. Unfortunately, today in Russia they do not build warships of the oceanic zone more than a frigate (although two universal landing ships were laid down in Kerch, which have already received their names). «Moscow» should be called a destroyer or even a cruiser, an aircraft carrier, if one is to be built. This will be the best memory of the Black Sea missile cruiser, which has become legendary.

The Guards Order of Nakhimov RKR «Moskva» («Glory») for almost forty years of its biography has become a symbol of the triumph of Soviet military shipbuilding, science, technology and the defense industry. «Moscow» is a symbol of the Black Sea people’s resilience during the collapse of the Union and the epic fleet division. This is a symbol of the revival of the Black Sea Fleet and its return to the World Ocean already under the St. Andrew’s flag. The cruiser, on which thousands of sailors went to sea, made unique inter-naval crossings, participated in the most difficult exercises and military campaigns in the War of 08.08. This is a symbol of Moscow’s patronage over the Black Sea Fleet. The cruiser became the decoration of Sevastopol both on weekdays and on holidays. We not only know and remember this, the veterans who came to the commemorative ceremony participated in many glorious deeds— Sergey Gorbachev noted.

A wreath in the form of St. Andrew’s flag and a sailor cap with a guards ribbon were laid at the base of the stele of the Hero City of Moscow. The inscription on the ribbon of the wreath reads: «To the sailors of the GRKR «Moscow» and the flagship of the fleet.» This wreath was made a year ago at the initiative of the State Duma deputy Konstantin Zatulin, who, together with the mayor of the Russian capital Yuri Luzhkov, together with Muscovite patriots, “pulled out” the cruiser from the protracted repair in Nikolaev in the 90s. It was supposed to lay it on the water of the Sevastopol Bay on May 13 last year on the Day of the Black Sea Fleet and the Day of awarding the Guards rank to the GRKR (1998). Then it failed. It didn’t work out later either. Now it’s done.

It became known that the memory of the cruiser and its sailors was honored by the Black Sea people and veterans of the ship. But this was done privately for obvious reasons. Memory is alive. She is in the hearts and deeds of sailors. Including military affairs.

author: Chairman of the Historical Section of the VNO Black Sea Fleet, member of the SZhR, captain 1st rank reserve Vladimir Khramov

photo by Peter Shishkin