{O/C} {Good evening}
The vagaries of the Russia-Ukraine war today saw the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, Moskva, sink after sustaining damage amid fierce Ukrainian resistance.
This had Ukraine's leader lauding Ukrainians for their unremitting resolve.
{Take SOT}
Ukrainian forces fought fire with fire today as they went on the offensive, pummelling Russia's Black Sea fleet flagship with missiles.
The Russian Defence Ministry said the ship met its demise amid a storm. And flames on the vessel sent the entire crew evacuating.
While knowing it has met its match, Russia only acknowledged a blaze on the Moskva.
Either way, the sinking of Moskva and other dispiriting setbacks have already amounted to exorbitant losses.
In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared delighted, saying all Ukrainians should be proud of having survived 50 days of the war.
This, given Zelensky has refused to leave his fellow Ukrainians in the lurch albeit uncertain whether Ukraine could live till the bitter end.
Zelensky lauded those "who showed that Russian warships can sail away, even if it's to the bottom of the sea."
Moskva had been the main target of Ukrainian defiance before sinking.
For Russia, one step closer to coming to grief, says the U.S. National Security Adviser.
{Soundbite} JAKE SULLIVAN, U.S. National Security Adviser: Certainly, the way that this unfolded...It's a big blow to Russia. This is their flagship, the "Moscow". And they have now been forced to admit that it has been badly damaged.
Meantime, in Mariupol, the penetrating and ravaging pain lingers as the besieged port city has been all but flattened. The numbers of Ukrainian defenders still repulsing a complete siege have been falling like a stone.
Over 100,000 innocent civilians remain marooned in the city and 10,000-odd had perished.
Russia is now adopting a multi-pronged approach to fully seizing control of Ukraine's east, which will be grist to its mill. This, amid the ceaseless battle for control since 2014.
The head of the U.N. World Food Programme lamented Mariupol's residents have been starving. This is bound to further destabilise the region in the thick of the war.
But despite a concerted effort, all manner of snags have prevented humanitarian organisations from divvying out food supplies.
So, the some 100,000 residents continue fending for themselves.
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