Ukraine’s security service says it struck a Russian missile warship with drones in the Gulf of Finland, in what is thought to be the first such attack on a Russian ship in the Baltic Sea.
Ukraine’s SBU said it targeted the Naro-Fominsk, a Buyan-M class missile corvette of Russia’s Baltic Fleet, overnight on 10-11 November, as part of a wider drone operation against the oil export port of Ust-Luga on the Baltic coast.
Finland’s armed forces confirmed on Thursday that they had detected a strike on a Russian warship in the Gulf of Finland and had been monitoring the situation since. Estonia’s defence minister, Martin Herem, said an explosion happened aboard a Russian ship at about 5:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday.
01. What is confirmed and what is not
Neither Finland nor Estonia named the ship or said who carried out the attack. The extent of the damage and any casualties are unknown, and Moscow has not commented on the reported strike.
Finland restricted airspace over the eastern Gulf of Finland and began maritime restrictions as a precaution. Finland’s foreign minister, Elina Valtonen, said the situation in the Baltic Sea remained stable and there was no threat to shipping.
The Naro-Fominsk, commissioned in December 2023, carries Kalibr and Oniks cruise missiles. Ukraine’s general staff said five oil storage tanks were damaged at Ust-Luga in the same operation.
02. Frequently asked questions
Which ship was hit?
Ukraine’s SBU says it hit the Naro-Fominsk, a Buyan-M class corvette. Finland and Estonia confirmed a strike and an explosion on a Russian ship, but did not name the vessel.
How badly was the ship damaged?
That is not known. The SBU gave no details of the damage, and Russia has not commented.
