You are correct on the economics of ships to missiles and that those ships have anti-missile systems but being close to land can put you at a disadvantage due t

You are correct on the economics of ships to missiles and that those ships have anti-missile systems but being close to land can put you at a disadvantage due to radar having a certain range it can operate at. Low flying projectiles may be harder to track due to these limitations and the Ukrainians have been very resourceful with the weapons they do have and have used them in ways that even western militaries were surprised with. I'm guessing here but I think it might have been more a show of force by putting that cruiser there as well as an attempt at dissuading other countries from entering the area. To be clear I am arm-chairing here and would love to know more on the operational capabilities of radar on ships.