Why is Ukraine attacking Russian warships in the Baltic Sea amid talks?
Finland detected a strike on a Russian warship in the Gulf of Finland as Ukraine sent waves of drones toward Russia's northwestern Leningrad region during US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi.
Finland's military detected "a strike" on a Russian warship in the Gulf of Finland on Wednesday, as Ukraine launched waves of drones toward Russia's northwestern Leningrad region. The incident occurred as Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Abu Dhabi for their first United States-brokered talks since February, marking a rare strike on a Russian navy vessel in the Baltic Sea.
A Finnish Defence Forces spokesperson told Reuters the military had monitored the situation but declined to specify details about when or where the incident occurred, or how it was detected. The spokesperson confirmed Finland was not under immediate military threat.
Estonian media reported the vessel was a small Russian navy ship that later returned to St Petersburg. It remained unclear whether there were any casualties from the strike.
Baltic tensions
On the same day, drones caused a fire in the Russian port area of Ust-Luga, injuring three workers according to regional Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko. The port serves as a key export outlet for Russian oil and grain.
The Gulf of Finland, a narrow arm of the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia, has become increasingly sensitive as Ukrainian drones deployed toward the Leningrad region have strayed into NATO airspace. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania advised citizens to take shelter as drones entered their airspace, prompting NATO to scramble warplanes in response.
We have told the Ukrainians this time, and a little earlier too, how sensitive this narrow stretch of the Gulf of Finland, right between us and Estonia, is in terms of environmental safety and the safety of civilian shipping.
Ukraine's claims
Ukraine's Security Service confirmed it attacked the Buyan-M-class small missile ship Naro-Fominsk as part of a special operation, according to Finnish broadcaster Yle. Ukraine's General Staff reported that strikes on Ust-Luga damaged five fuel tanks in the port's oil infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Ireland on Thursday, praising their mediation efforts. The envoys had previously met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, where both sides agreed to continue the talks.
Talks and tensions
The Abu Dhabi talks produced no breakthrough apart from an agreement to swap a large number of prisoners, with Russia's TASS news agency indicating the exchange should occur within two to three weeks. Territory remains the main sticking point, with Ukraine demanding Russia retreat to pre-war borders while Putin seeks control of Ukraine's Donbas region.
Russian negotiators reportedly proposed that Finland, which joined NATO in 2023, leave the alliance and that NATO be barred from military bases in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The informal proposals also called for guarantees of freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and Baltic Sea.
Ukraine's military actions during talks aim to maintain pressure on Moscow. "Kyiv continues to demonstrate two points simultaneously: That it is willing to negotiate and that it has a position of strength," said Ilya Timtchenko of the Center for European Policy Analysis. "In parallel with any peace talks, Ukraine will likely continue to strike Russia's military and the sources of funding for Russia's war machine."
Russia has not commented publicly on the reported strike on its warship. Governor Drozdenko stated that 150 drones were shot down over the Leningrad region during Wednesday's attack, which also cut off a power station. Despite Moscow's rhetoric suggesting a desire for peace, Timtchenko noted that Russia "continues to strike Ukraine's military, critical infrastructure, and civilians." The next steps in the negotiation process remain unclear as both sides continue to assert their positions.
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