Wreck Site For Moskva Cruiser (Coordinates)
Using open source intelligence (OSINT), the location of the wreck of Moskva has been provisionally identified. Analysis of radar satellite imagery points to the vicinity of 44.92002°, 31.49265°.
The site has been located using Sentinel-1 satellite imagery (SAR - Synthetic Aperture Radar). Oil from the wreck shows up when the image is filtered correctly. Seperately Twitter user ronsmytheiii made a similar observation.
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Advisor to Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Anton Gerashchenko, shared similar information on Telegram. He pinpointed a second slick at 45.12453°, 31.56012°. This is just north of the pinpointed slick and likely from the same source. The southern slick is however now visible in the same location on two separate days. These are 4 days apart and appear to have exactly the same origin point.
The location is around 28 nautical miles southeast of Moskva's last known location on April 13. This was where Moskva was receiving assistance from other vessels, so after the hit.
This generally supports Russian claims, replayed by the US Government at the time, that the vessel was being towed back to Sevastopol, It got about 30 nautical miles before sinking.
Wreck investigation and salvage effort
I previously wrote that the vintage salvage ship, Kommuna, had been deployed, apparently to work on the Moskva site. So far we have not seen her or any other vessel at the expected wreck site. However coverage is intermittent.
Kommuna likely turned near to the Crimean coast. Possibly their mission was postponed or aborted, or has yet to reach that point. Or perhaps the analysis was mistaken and it was a coincidence that she was heading towards the site.
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Maritime Demonstrations
The loss of Moskva may have made the Russian Navy less brazen in its operations off Odesa, but they have not stopped entirely. Four-ship formation of corvettes was seen today along with possible submarine movements. Many less defended Russian ships continue to sail unescorted, especially closer to the Crimean coast.
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Although cloud / fog covered most of the Northern Black Sea, significant Russian Navy activity was visible on Sentinel 2 satellite imagery within the parts of the Black Sea covered. This includes a formation of four missile corvettes including the powerful Bora Class.
Two submarines also appeared to be starting a mission, sailing on the surface.
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