Russia’s Baltic Fleet faces naval losses after a Russian guided-missile corvette sustained multiple drone strikes in the Gulf of Finland on November 11, according to the Security Service of Ukraine.
The small missile ship Naro-Fominsk, belonging to Russia’s Baltic Fleet and designed to carry Kalibr cruise missiles, was targeted during an operation directed at the Ust-Luga oil port in Leningrad Oblast.
Estonian defense officials confirmed that the vessel was hit more than once. “In terms of both Estonia’s initial defense capability and within the framework of NATO, we treat such actions with extreme caution to avoid escalating the situation,” said Aron Kalmus, deputy commander of the Estonian Defense Forces division.
The operation involved a coordinated assault on regional port terminals. Ukrainian drones targeted the Novatek-Ust-Luga and Ust-Luga Oil terminals.
The strikes caused major fires and damaged several fuel storage reservoirs, pump stations, and pipelines. Kalmus said that the corvette itself was not equipped for air defense missions, as its primary function centers on long-range strikes and escort duties using Kalibr cruise missiles and Onyx anti-ship missiles.
Estonian authorities chose not to engage the aerial vehicles near the border to prevent debris from falling onto Russian territory and triggering a wider military escalation.
The corvette sustained heavy damage from the impacts, resulting in casualties among the crew. These numerous hits damaged the corvette, there were dead and wounded, Kalmus said, detailing that the vessel suffered more than three distinct impacts that constituted a clear tactical pattern rather than a random occurrence.
Although the ship initially attempted to proceed toward Saint Petersburg under its own power, it eventually stopped and required an escort vessel to complete the journey, according to Estonian military reporting.
Finnish armed forces independently detected the incident near Hogland Island, about 45 kilometers from the Finnish coast. They monitored the unfolding situation while confirming that overall regional security remained stable.
NATO air policing assets, including Turkish fighter jets stationed at the Amari air base in Estonia, maintained active patrols as regional states responded to the security environment in the Baltic Sea.