Museum exhibit allows visitors to sink model Russian warship

The Lviv Museum of Science in western Ukraine allows its visitors to repeatedly sink a model of the Russian warship 'Moskva', the former flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet which sank in April 2022.

As part of a new exhibit, a model of the warship swimming in a water tank can be sent to the bottom of the ocean over and over again, according to a video shared by the Twitter account of the US Naval Institute.

The Lviv Museum of Science in Ukraine released video of a new exhibit that allows visitors to sink a model of the Russian warship Moskva. The real Moskva sank in the Black Sea in April, 2022 after a fire. Russia denies Ukrainian claims that Moskva was hit with anti-ship missiles. pic.twitter.com/Mks3YEB9Gd

— U.S. Naval Institute (@NavalInstitute) January 21, 2023

The real 'Moskva' took part in the now famous incident after seizing Snake Island on February 25, 2022, during which Ukrainian border guards allegedly told Russian naval forces, "Russian warship, f***k you...!" when told to surrender.

Cultural heritage

Shortly after the ship sank, the site was declared an item of Ukrainian underwater cultural heritage. After the Moskva found its end it became item number #2064 of Ukrainian cultural heritage under the category of rare scientific or technical equipment, according to the BBC.

Russia's defense ministry said a fire on the Moskva caused ammunition to blow up, while the Ukrainian governor of the region around the Black Sea port city of Odesa, said the 'Moskva' had been hit by two Ukrainian-made Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles.

Michael Starr contributed to this story.