Finland Raises Concerns with Ukraine Over Baltic Sea Warship Strike, Assures Public of Safety
Finland has communicated its concerns to Ukraine following a Ukrainian drone strike on a Russian warship in the Gulf of Finland. Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen stated that Helsinki informed Kyiv about the sensitivity of the narrow Gulf of Finland stretch, emphasizing environmental safety and civilian shipping safety. Despite the incident, Hakkanen assured the public that the Baltic Sea around Finland remains safe for navigation. The strike, which Ukraine's Security Service claimed targeted the Buyan-M-class small missile ship Naro-Fominsk, occurred near Gogland Island. This event marks a rare instance of Ukrainian forces striking a Russian vessel in the Baltic Sea, an area frequently used by civilian traffic. The Finnish Defence Forces confirmed detecting the strike and are monitoring the situation, though they noted no immediate military threat to Finland. The incident also coincided with Ukrainian drone activity targeting Russia's Ust-Luga oil port, causing a fire and injuring workers.
