MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/. A fire and subsequent broadside munitions blast have done serious damage to the Moskva missile cruiser of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the crew was evacuated, the Russian defense ministry said on Thursday.

"A fire onboard the Mosvka missile cruiser caused a blast of the broadside munitions. The ship received serious damage. The crew was evacuated," the ministry said, adding that a probe in underway.

The Moskva, the Russian Black Sea Fleet flagship, is the head vessel of Project 1164 Atlant. It was put into operation as the Slava in 1983 and received its current name in 1996. The ship is equipped with 16 P-1000 Vulkan missile launcers.