MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/. The fire on the guided missile cruiser Moskva has been localized and the explosions of ammunition on board have been stopped, the Defense Ministry told the media on Thursday.

"The fire on the guided missile cruiser Moskva has been localized. No open flames are seen. The explosions of ammunition have been stopped," the ministry said.

The cruiser has retained buoyancy and its main missile systems are not damaged.

"The crew has been evacuated to other Black Sea Fleet ships in the area. Measures are being taken to tug the cruiser to port," the Defense Ministry said adding that the cause of the fire was yet to be established.

Earlier on the Thursday the Defense Ministry said that the Black Sea Fleet’s guided missile cruiser Moskva had suffered serious damage as a result of explosions of ammunition, caused by a fire on board. The crew has been evacuated.

The Moskva is the Black Sea Fleet’s flagship, lead ship of project 1164 Atlant. Commissioned in 1983 under the name Slava. The cruiser was given its current name in 1996. Sixteen launchers of the P-1000 Vulkan missiles are its main attack weapon.