Ukrainian drones strike Russian warship in Gulf of Finland

Ukrainian drones struck a Russian warship in the Gulf of Finland on Wednesday, marking the first such attack on a Russian vessel in an open Baltic Sea area, Finnish officials confirmed. The strike targeted the corvette Naro-Fominsk as part of a broader operation against Russia's Ust-Luga oil depot. Ukraine's SBU security service said the Buyan-M type ship, carrying Kalibr and Oniks cruise missiles, was hit during a drone operation. Estonia's defence minister reported smoke from the vessel, which returned toward St Petersburg, while unconfirmed reports mentioned destroyed Russian helicopters. The attack raises questions about expanded Ukrainian strikes, though analysts downplayed it as a serious escalation. Finland stressed Baltic stability, while Nato aircraft monitored the incident without engaging drones, which flew near the Estonian border.