Russia has said one serviceman was killed and 27 others were left missing after the fire on board the warship Moskva, which sank a week ago following what the Ukrainians boasted was a missile attack.

The Russian Defence Ministry said on Friday that 396 others were rescued.

Shortly after the episode, the ministry said the entire crew of the ship, which was presumed by the media to be about 500 people, had been rescued.

The ministry offered no explanation for the contradicting reports.

The loss of the guided missile cruiser – the flagship of Russia’s Black Fleet – was a humiliating setback for Moscow.

Russia on Friday did not acknowledge an attack on the ship.

It continued to say a fire broke out after ammunition detonated, without offering any details about what caused the detonation.