At 04:31 in the morning on October 4, 2025, Ukraine's Special Operations Forces carried out a successful strike against russian Grad small missile ship (hull number 575), a Project 21631 Buyan-M corvette. The attack took place on Onega Lake, in the Republic of Karelia, deep inside russian territory.
The hit landed on the starboard side of the ship's engine compartment, inflicting significant damage.
Read more: Border Guard Drones Struck russian D-30 Howitzer, Murom-M System, and Transport Vehicle (Video)
The Grad ship was on its way from the Baltic Sea to the Caspian Sea when it was struck. This route indicates that the russian Navy was likely transferring the vessel to another operational zone, possibly in preparation for new missions or reallocation of forces. The timing and precision of Ukrainian operation demonstrate careful planning and the growing reach of Ukrainian special units.
The Grad vessel is one of the newest and most modern ships in the russian fleet. It was officially commissioned into the Baltic Fleet on December 29, 2022. Belonging to the Buyan-M class, the corvette is equipped with advanced missile systems, including the Kalibr-NK cruise missile system, which russia has used for long-range strikes against Ukraine.
The loss or damage of such a recent and advanced ship is likely to be a painful blow to the russian Navy, both operationally and reputationally. It also highlights the effectiveness of Ukraine's strategy of asymmetric warfare, where smaller, agile forces inflict significant damage on larger adversaries.
As Defense Express previously reported, Poland has drawn an unexpected conclusion about one of its exported air defense systems now serving in Ukraine. According to Polish defense journalist Mariusz Marszałkowski, the modernized S-125 Newa-SC surface-to-air missile system in Ukrainian service has successfully shot down russian ballistic missiles, something never officially claimed for the system.
Read more: Old Soviet Design, Polish Upgrade: Ukraine's S-125 Newa-SC System May Be Defeating Ballistic Threats
