After the loss of two key ships, the Russian Federation may reconsider its position in the Black Sea

This may force the Russian Federation to reconsider its position in the Black Sea, according to British intelligence.

Russia acknowledged that the Slava-class cruiser Moskva sank. As the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Moskva played a key role both as a command ship and as an air defense center, the intelligence report says.

The Soviet-era ship was one of three Slava-class cruisers in the Russian Navy, according to the British. Initially commissioned in 1979, the Moskva has undergone extensive refurbishment to improve its capabilities, only returning to service in 2021.

The incident means that Russia has suffered damage to two key naval installations since its invasion of Ukraine, the first of which was the Russian Alligator-class amphibious assault ship Saratov on March 24. Both developments are likely to force Russia to rethink its position in the Black Sea.