Russian warship seen smoking after explosion near Finland, Estonian defense minister says
An explosion occurred aboard a Russian warship in the Gulf of Finland on November 11, after which the vessel was seen emitting smoke and heading toward St. Petersburg, Estonian Defense Minister Martin Herem told public broadcaster ERR.
The incident coincided with a Ukrainian drone operation against Russian military and port infrastructure in the region. Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) said it had struck the Naro-Fominsk, a Buyan-M-class missile corvette belonging to Russia's Baltic Fleet.
Herem said the explosion occurred at approximately 5:30 a.m. local time.
“We know that smoke came from the ship afterward. The vessel itself headed back toward St. Petersburg,” he told ERR.
However, the minister stressed that Estonia could not confirm whether the explosion resulted from a Ukrainian attack or an accident.
Separately, a senior Finnish official confirmed to Finnish public broadcaster Yle that Finland had detected an attack near Gogland Island, also known by its Finnish name Suursaari.
The Russian-controlled island lies in the eastern Gulf of Finland, approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Finland and 55 kilometers (34 miles) north of Estonia.
The SBU said it had planned and carried out an operation targeting the Naro-Fominsk, a Russian warship equipped to launch Kalibr cruise missiles.
The agency did not specify where the vessel was struck, and the extent of any damage remains unknown.
The reported strike took place during a broader Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Ust-Luga port in Leningrad Oblast, a major hub for Russian oil exports on the Baltic Sea.
Following the attacks, Finland's Defense Forces temporarily restricted maritime traffic and airspace in the eastern Gulf of Finland as a precaution.
Neither the identity of the vessel observed by Estonian authorities nor the cause of the explosion has been independently established.
The Naro-Fominsk entered service with Russia's Baltic Fleet in 2023.