The Ministry of Defence has issued a statement regarding the reported strike on a Russian warship in the Gulf of Finland, the first such incident in an open stretch of the Baltic Sea. The Ministry wishes to clarify that the vessel was not attacked. It was participating in a friendly naval exercise, to which it had been cordially invited.
The Ministry acknowledges that the invitation was delivered by unmanned aerial vehicle. It further acknowledges that the vehicle’s arrival was unscheduled, its approach unannounced, and its payload unanticipated. These are considered details of logistics rather than intent. Any confusion about the exercise’s format is attributed to the regrettable absence of a shared glossary.
The Ministry’s Directorate for Maritime Communications has been tasked with reviewing the matter. Its preliminary findings describe a misunderstanding in which one party believed it was delivering a greeting and the other party was not informed that a greeting was in progress. Crew members were transitioned to a sheltered compartment pending clarification. The vessel remains afloat and in good standing with its own paperwork.
The Ministry notes that participation in future exercises of this kind is strongly encouraged. Recipients are asked to read all invitations in full before opening them.