Drone Attack on Russian Missile Corvette
Ukrainian drones struck a moving Russian missile corvette in the Gulf of Finland on November 11, the first such strike in Baltic waters, Nettavisen reported.
The targeted vessel, the “Naro-Fominsk”, belongs to the Buyan-M class and carries 3M14 Kalibr cruise missiles. Nettavisen reported that the operation took place about 40 kilometers from the Finnish coast near the island of Hogland.
SBU drone strike targets Russian warship in the Baltic Sea
The Security Service of Ukraine, known as the SBU, carried out the drone strike as part of a broader operation targeting the oil port of Ust-Luga.
“It is the first time the Ukrainians have hit a Russian warship that is sailing, and not lying at a quay or in a dry dock in the Baltic Sea,” Lars Peder Haga told Nettavisen. He serves as an associate professor at the Royal Norwegian Air Force Academy, where he researches Russian air and military power.
Haga said that hitting a moving or anchored vessel is harder than striking stationary targets in dry docks. He also pointed out the geographic proximity of the strike.
“It shows a significant willingness to take risks, given that this is so close to Finnish and Estonian waters and airspace,” Haga told Nettavisen. He added that a missile corvette of this class typically carries a crew of around 40 personnel.
The international publication Janes said that the incident marks the beginning of a hunt for the Russian fleet in the Baltic Sea, mirroring similar operations previously seen in the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.
Commercial maritime traffic continues despite military escalation
Despite the military escalation near Hogland, commercial maritime traffic across the Baltic Sea continues to operate normally.
“We are following the situation in the Baltic Sea closely and follow the instructions of the Finnish authorities regarding shipping traffic,” Ella Kirjasniemi, marketing and communications director at Eckerö Line, told the Finnish outlet Iltalehti.
Where the drone strike occurred and how shipping responds
Where did the drone attack take place?
The strike occurred in the Gulf of Finland near the island of Hogland, approximately 40 kilometers from the Finnish coast on November 11.
Which vessel was targeted by the SBU?
The Ukrainian security service targeted the “Naro-Fominsk”, a Buyan-M class Russian missile corvette equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles.
How have commercial shipping lines responded?
Major regional operators like Eckerö Line report that civilian ferry and cargo traffic continues as normal while they follow instructions from Finnish authorities.
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