Ukraine’s Special Operation Forces have struck Russia’s state-of-the-art warships in the Republic of Karelia in Russia’s northwest, Ukraine’s military reported on Saturday.
The Buyan-M small missile ship was struck early on October 4 on Lake Onega as it was sailing from the Baltic Sea towards the Caspian Sea. The strike hit the right side of the ship’s engine compartment, the General Staff noted, adding that extent of the damage was being clarified.
The Buyan-M-class vessel, known as Project 21631, is a compact yet heavily armed corvette designed to operate in shallow waters. It was one of the first Russian warships to launch Kalibr cruise missiles, which have frequently been used in large-scale strikes against Ukrainian cities. In the statement, the General Staff stressed that “Ukraine’s defence forces continue a systematic campaign to destroy Russian military facilities and weaken its military and economic potential.”
It should be noted that sustained Ukrainian assaults with naval drones, long-range drones, and missiles have compelled Moscow to scale back its naval activities around occupied Crimea.
Ukraine has successfully destroyed several Russian ships, including the Caesar Kunikov landing ship, the Sergei Kotov patrol ship, the Ivanovets missile corvette, and several fast landing craft.
On Aug. 21, Ukraine’s Main Defence Intelligence, HUR reported striking a Russian patrol boat near the occupied town of Zaliznyi Port in Kherson Oblast, claiming the attack killed five crew members.
