Finnish officials have verified that a Russian warship sustained damage from a drone attack in the Gulf of Finland on Wednesday. The incident marks a significant development in the conflict, as it is believed to be the first time Ukrainian drones have targeted a Russian vessel in an area of the Baltic Sea that remains open to civilian maritime traffic.
The Ukrainian Security Service, known as the SBU, stated that the target was the Naro-Fominsk. This vessel is identified as a Buyan-M type small corvette equipped with Kalibr and Oniks cruise missiles. The strike was part of a larger drone operation aimed at the Ust-Luga oil export depot located on Russia's Baltic coast.
Estonian Defence Minister Martin Herem provided specific timing for the incident, noting that the ship was hit at approximately 05:30 local time, which corresponds to 03:30 GMT. He reported that smoke was observed rising from the vessel after the impact, and the ship subsequently retreated toward St Petersburg. While there were unconfirmed reports of Russian combat helicopters being destroyed, the full extent of casualties and damage to the navy ship remains unclear, as Moscow has not released detailed information.
The attack occurred in a narrow stretch of water some distance from the Finnish coast. Finnish Defence officials have emphasized to Kyiv that this waterway is heavily used by oil tankers and civilian vessels and also contains subsea data cables. Despite these factors, Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen asserted that the situation in the Baltic Sea remains stable and safe, stating that there is no threat to marine traffic.
The broader drone campaign involved multiple launches from northern Ukraine. Several storage tanks at the Ust-Luga terminal were reportedly hit overnight, causing fires that were visible across the border in Estonia. Herem explained that the drones operated from midnight until roughly 06:00, flying close to the Estonian border while remaining primarily in Russian airspace.
During the operation, one drone briefly entered Estonian airspace from Latvia before heading back toward Russia. NATO aircraft based in the Baltic states were airborne at the time, but Herem indicated that it was not considered safe for them to engage and destroy the drones. This incident has raised questions about the potential for Ukraine to expand its strike capabilities in the region.
Finnish officials view the incident as a direct consequence of Russia's continued full-scale war, with Helsinki serving as one of Kyiv's closest European allies. Military analyst Emil Kastehelmi, co-founder of the Black Bird monitoring group, suggested that the Baltic Sea fleet had previously been untouched, but Ukraine identified a window of opportunity to exploit. He noted that while the strike is unprecedented in the Baltic, he does not consider it a serious escalation.
Russian and Ukrainian vessels have been frequently targeted in the Black Sea since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The latest event in the Baltic Sea follows this pattern of naval engagement but represents a new geographic front. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhyy responded to Russian claims that Kyiv had used the airspace of the Baltic states for the attack, calling the allegations baseless.
Tykhyy acknowledged that incidents might occur when Russia uses electronic warfare to divert drones from its own airspace. The diplomatic and military implications of the strike are being closely monitored as both sides assess the stability of the Baltic region.
The incident highlights the expanding reach of drone warfare in the Baltic Sea. As civilian traffic continues to move through the Gulf of Finland, officials in Finland and neighboring nations are working to ensure that the waterway remains safe for commercial shipping despite the recent military activity.
