The Swedish open-sea fleet had sailed from Karlskrona on June 9, 1788, with Duke Charles of Södermanland as its commander.

On June 21, the fleet meets a Russian squadron off Saaremaa island and after chasing the Russians down tries to provoke a conflict by demanding Russians render honors to the Swedes from which Russians had been exempted in the previous peace treaties.

Vice Admiral Wilhelm von Dessin, who commands the small Russian squadron, agrees to render honors to the Duke Charles but not to the Swedish flag and manages to defuse the threatening situation and continue towards Copenhagen

Since the Swedish want to avoid initiating the conflict they have lost their chance to provoke the Russians into war and are left empty-handed.