Ukrainian sources claim that the footage captured the 112-year-old warship, identified as the Kommuna, being consumed by flames, with thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky.
The vessel, a prized member of Putin's Black Sea fleet, was reportedly undergoing preparations for salvage operations of Russia's Moskva, which was downed by Ukrainian missiles two years ago.
Explosions shook the area as Russian authorities issued a missile warning and closed access to Putin's prized Crimea bridge. Firefighters rushed to the scene, battling the blaze on the historic 315-ft long vessel.
Dramatic video footage shared on Telegram by Astra revealed the aftermath of the attack, with a caption indicating, "The rocket hit the ship. See, it's burning."
The Kommuna bears historical significance, having been first launched in 1913 and surviving through two world wars.
The Russian governor of the occupied region, Mikhail Razvozhayev, confirmed that an anti-ship missile had been launched, leading to the fire on board. Razvozhayev also stated that the fire was "quickly extinguished."
Meanwhile, The War Zone obtained satellite imagery taken earlier today from Planet Labs showing Kommuna in port in Sevastopol on the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula. Another satellite image captured on April 20 also shows the very distinctive catamaran-hulled ship in the same location and in the same apparent condition.
