Visiting the warship were correspondents from Sky News, CNN, AFP, Xinhua and several other major news networks, who were accompanied by Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov.
On board, the journalists were even able to have a meal at the vessel's dining room, where they were served with traditional 'fleet-style' macaroni. Many, including Sky News correspondent John Sparks, were overwhelmed with emotions.
"I'm impressed and shocked about the transparency of everything that is happening," he said.
He was echoed by Boris Anzov of the Bulgarian holding Mediamost, who also appreciated the Russian Defense Ministry's move to allow the journalists to visit the warship.
"It is a great pleasure for us to visit the ship, given that we have inquired about it for a long time. It is much easier to work with the Russian military than with those from Western countries. You can discuss everything with the Russian military from the bottom of your heart," he said.
In addition to 64 anti-air missiles, the 11,500-ton, 186-meter-long warship is armed with anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine mortars and torpedoes.
The Moskva cruiser can cover all of southern Turkey from Latakia, ensuring that Russian planes will be safe in the air following Ankara's downing of the Russian Su-24 bomber in Syria on November 24.
