Ukraine Hits One of Russia’s Newest Kalibr Missile Ships on Active Duty in Baltic Sea for the First Time

Ukraine has expanded its campaign against Russian warships into the Baltic Sea, striking the Kalibr-capable missile ship Naro-Fominsk while it was deployed in the Gulf of Finland, in what defense analysts describe as the first Ukrainian attack on an operational Russian warship at sea in the region since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) confirmed the attack on the Project 21631 Buyan-M-class missile ship, carried out during a large-scale Ukrainian drone operation against Russia’s Leningrad region, according to Defense Express on November 12.

The SBU did not specify the exact location of the strike or disclose how severely the vessel was damaged. However, Ukrainian OSINT community Exilenova+ reported that the attack took place near Gogland Island in the Gulf of Finland, approximately 180 kilometers (112 miles) from St. Petersburg and 968 kilometers (601 miles) from Ukraine.

The channel also reported possible deaths and injuries among the ship’s crew, although the number of casualties and the vessel’s condition remain unconfirmed.

Finnish broadcaster Yle subsequently reported that a senior Finnish official confirmed an attack had been detected near Gogland Island, roughly 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Finland. Estonian Defense Minister Martin Herem also confirmed that an explosion had occurred aboard a Russian warship in the Gulf of Finland, adding that the vessel subsequently headed toward St. Petersburg.

The strike represents a potentially significant development in Ukraine’s naval campaign. According to Defense Express, previous Ukrainian attacks against Russia’s Baltic Fleet had primarily targeted ships undergoing repairs, construction, or maintenance at naval bases and shipyards. The Naro-Fominsk, by contrast, was reportedly conducting operational duties at sea when it was attacked.

Ukraine had already demonstrated its ability to reach Russian naval assets in the region. In 2024, Ukrainian military intelligence carried out two sabotage operations at the Russian naval base in Baltiysk, Kaliningrad region, damaging the Project 21631 Buyan-M missile ship Serpukhov and the Project 12700 Alexandrit-class minesweeper Aleksandr Obukhov.

The campaign expanded in March 2026, when Ukrainian forces struck the Project 23550 patrol icebreaker Purga, which was under construction at the Vyborg Shipyard in Russia’s Leningrad region. The vessel was reportedly left partially submerged alongside the shipyard pier following the attack.

Another major strike followed in June, when Ukrainian drones targeted the Project 20380 Steregushchiy-class corvette Boykiy while it was undergoing repairs in a dry dock at the Kronstadt Naval Plant. Satellite imagery revealed extensive damage and evidence of a major fire, with subsequent assessments suggesting the warship could be beyond economical repair.

Unlike those earlier operations, the attack on Naro-Fominsk suggests Ukrainian forces may now be capable of engaging Russian naval vessels beyond the relative confines of ports and repair facilities.

Defense Express characterized the development as a potential opening of a new phase in Ukraine’s campaign against Russia’s navy, which has already suffered substantial losses in the Black Sea and faced Ukrainian strikes in the Caspian Sea.

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The Naro-Fominsk itself is among the newest vessels of Russia’s Buyan-M class. Launched in December 2022 and commissioned into the Russian Navy in December 2023, the ship carries an eight-cell vertical launch system capable of deploying 3M14 Kalibr cruise missiles, giving the relatively small vessel substantial long-range strike capabilities.

Its additional armament includes a 100mm A-190 naval gun, an AK-630M-2 Duet close-in air defense system, a Gibka-R short-range missile launcher, and 7.62mm and 14.5mm machine guns.

Previously, reports emerged that Russia’s flagship nuclear-powered battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy is no longer considered worth repairing or modernizing after years of accumulated wear, according to a preliminary assessment by a special commission.

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