The First Battle of Svensksund, also known as the First Battle of Rochensalm from the Russian version of the Finnish: Ruotsinsalmi, was a naval battle fought in the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea, outside the present-day city of Kotka, on August 24, 1789, during the Russo-Swedish War (1788-1790). Order of battle The Swedish fleet at Svensksund consisted of one light, shallow draft, frigate, six , one , three , and one archipelago frigate, with twenty gun sloops, four mortar longboats, four cannon longboats and five galleys. The fleet had 5,000 men plus those aboard auxiliaries and transports. Swedish strength was dispersed defending the whole length of the coastline. The Swedish open sea fleet failed to defeat the Russian fleet at Öland and was unable to clear Russian ships from the Porkkala region. The Russian coastal fleet consisted of a frigate, eight xebecs, five brigs, three bomb vessels, eighteen galleys, twenty-nine half-galleys, twelve gun sloops and three cutters with a total of 12000 men plus those aboard auxiliaries. The Russian coastal fleet was supported by a squadron of three frigates, seven xebecs, and two dozen smaller ships from the open sea fleet commanded by Ivan Balle. First phase of the battle The Swedish fleet prepared for Russian numerical superiority by creating blockades of scuttled ships in the narrow passages on 23 August. Failure to blockade all the narrow passages made this operation unsuccessful. Action between main elements of the Swedish archipelago fleet and the Russian squadron led by Balle started at 10:00 on 24 August and the artillery duel continued for six hours before the initial Russian attack from the south was beaten back with Russians losing three ships captured and several others badly damaged. Second phase of the battle The Russian coastal fleet had meanwhile approached from the east and was probing its way through the Swedish blockade under fire. Advantage shifted from the defenders to the attackers at 16:00 when the right wing of the Russian coastal fleet led by Giolio Litta penetrated the unblockaded narrow passage between Majasaari (Koiromsari) and Tiutine. The Russian attack forced Swedish ships guarding the blockade to withdraw allowing the Russians to clear remaining blockade obstacles. Russians captured the turuma Sällan Värre which had run aground while defending the blockades and Enrique MacDonell's hemmema Oden which had come to its aid. The Swedish archipelago fleet withdrew into the safety of fortress at