Russia's Boykiy warship struck: Why it matters
Photo: Russian corvette Boykiy (Wikimedia)
The strike on the corvette Boykiy reduces the combat capabilities of the Russian fleet and demonstrates Ukraine’s ability to strike Russia's military targets even at significant distances, according to the Unmanned Systems Forces.
What kind of corvette is it
Boykiy is a combat ship of Russia’s Baltic Fleet, built in 2011 and commissioned into the fleet in 2013. It belongs to Project 20380 and is equipped with guided missile armament.
The vessel was used for operations near NATO borders and for escorting tankers of Russia’s shadow oil fleet. Since February 2026, the corvette had been undergoing scheduled repairs.
How the strike occurred
On June 3, 2026, operators of the 1st Separate Center of the Unmanned Systems Forces struck the Boykiy in the Veleshchinsky dry dock in Kronstadt, St. Petersburg.
The distance from Ukraine to the target is about 1,100 kilometers.
Ukraine hits Russia's Boykiy warship 1,100 km from the border pic.twitter.com/SC9gdjh21G
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) June 3, 2026
Why it matters
The strike on the Boykiy weakens Russia’s naval capabilities in the Baltic. The corvette was an active combat unit operating in the Russian fleet.
The Unmanned Systems Forces continue to strike:
- Missile carriers;
- Naval infrastructure facilities;
- Command posts;
- Logistics hubs.
As RBC-Ukraine reported, on the same day, Ukrainian drones attacked ships and port infrastructure facilities in Kronstadt. The strikes were confirmed by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy also confirmed overnight strikes on St. Petersburg, Kronstadt, and Tambov. According to him, units of the SBU, Special Operations Forces, HUR, and the State Border Guard Service were involved in the operation.
