Finnish officials confirmed on Wednesday that a Russian warship was struck in the Gulf of Finland during a Ukrainian drone operation targeting the Ust-Luga oil export depot.
The incident marks what appears to be the first time Ukrainian drones have hit a Russian vessel in a Baltic Sea shipping lane, raising questions about whether Kyiv intends to expand its maritime strikes near NATO territory. “detected … a strike on a Russian warship in the Gulf of Finland area and has monitored the development of the situation,” a spokesperson for Finland's military told Reuters, adding that the country faces no immediate military threat.
🔥Three Russian radar systems were struck during Ukraine’s massive drone attack on Leningrad Oblast on November 11, according to Dosye Shpiona. ●Nebo-SVU long-range surveillance radar ●40V6 mobile radar tower ●Sopka-2 airspace surveillance radar complex pic.twitter.com/qUtqSxZYCk
The strike occurred at approximately 03:30 GMT on Wednesday, according to Estonian Defence Minister Martin Herem. The ship itself went back towards St Petersburg, Herem told public broadcaster ERR.
Ukraine’s SBU security service stated the targeted vessel was a Buyan-M type small corvette named Naro-Fominsk, which carries Kalibr and Oniks cruise missiles. The extent of casualties or damage sustained by the ship remains unclear, as Moscow rarely releases such operational details.
Baltic Sea Maritime Traffic Remains Stable and Safe
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen maintained that the situation in the Baltic Sea remains stable and safe, with no threat to marine traffic. Defence officials emphasized to Kyiv that the Gulf is a narrow waterway used by oil tankers, civilian vessels, and subsea data cables.
The strike coincided with a massive drone attack in the northwestern Leningrad region. Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed to have intercepted 146 Ukrainian drones in the area.
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania issued airspace warnings to citizens on Wednesday after drones entered their airspace, prompting NATO warplanes to scramble in response. Three Russian radar systems—including a Nebo-SVU long-range surveillance radar, a 40V6 mobile radar tower, and a Sopka-2 airspace surveillance complex—were struck during the operation, according to tracking reports cited by EUobserver.
Shuttle Diplomacy and Peace Talks
| Event / Date | Location | Key Participants | Primary Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Strike | Gulf of Finland | Ukraine SBU, Russian Navy | Buyan-M corvette Naro-Fominsk hit, returned to St Petersburg |
| US Shuttle Diplomacy | Moscow and Dublin | Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy | Agreement on upcoming prisoner exchange |
| EU Summit | Dublin | EU leaders, Friedrich Merz, Antonio Costa | Discussions regarding European security architecture |
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US envoys addressed members of the media after their meeting in Ireland. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that European security cannot form part of Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations. “There will be no discussions about Ukraine without Ukraine, and no discussions about Europe without Europe,” Merz told reporters during the summit.
💬 President #Putin to US envoys: ❌ Foreign troops in Ukraine are unacceptable – they threaten Russia’s security. Europe knows this. If it sends troops once peace is agreed, we would regard them as legitimate targets & war would resume at once.https://t.co/tTSJPGV3VV pic.twitter.com/2s9UHmbCpI
