Ukraine launched what officials and media described as an unprecedented drone attack on Russia’s second-largest city, St Petersburg, targeting military and energy infrastructure deep inside Russian territory in one of the largest long-range operations of the war to date. The strikes came as Russia hosted its flagship St Petersburg International Economic Forum and days after President Vladimir Putin rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal for direct talks.
Russian authorities say air defenses intercepted hundreds of Ukrainian drones over multiple regions of the country. Russian officials reported that 376 drones were shot down across Russia, including dozens over the St Petersburg region. Nevertheless, several drones reached their targets, causing damage to military and energy facilities and disrupting air traffic.
Ukrainian officials said the operation targeted strategic military infrastructure, including facilities linked to Russia’s Baltic Fleet in Kronstadt, naval arsenals, and energy sites supporting the Russian war effort. Reports indicated that an oil depot in Russia’s Krasnodar region was also struck and caught fire. Large plumes of smoke were seen over parts of St Petersburg and surrounding areas following the attacks.
The assault coincided with the final days of the economic forum often referred to as “Russia’s Davos,” a showcase event for the Kremlin intended to demonstrate economic resilience despite Western sanctions. Analysts noted that the attack undermined Moscow’s efforts to portray the war as distant from everyday life in Russia and highlighted Ukraine’s growing ability to strike targets hundreds of kilometers from the front line.
President Zelensky described the strikes as a justified response to Russia’s continued attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Ukrainian officials said the operation demonstrated Kyiv’s expanding long-range drone capabilities and warned that similar attacks could continue as long as Russia rejects efforts to end the war through negotiations.
Russian authorities reported that one person was killed in the Tver region and several others were injured as a result of falling drone debris. In St Petersburg, local officials advised residents in some areas to remain indoors while emergency services responded to the attacks. Airports and transport links experienced temporary disruptions due to security measures.
The drone offensive followed another major Ukrainian strike earlier in the week that targeted an oil terminal and military facilities near St Petersburg, including sites associated with the Russian Navy. Ukrainian forces have increasingly focused on energy infrastructure, military-industrial facilities and logistics hubs inside Russia as part of a broader campaign aimed at degrading Moscow’s ability to sustain the war.
The latest escalation comes amid stalled diplomatic efforts. Zelensky has repeatedly called for direct talks with Putin, but the Kremlin has shown little willingness to engage at the presidential level. European leaders are expected to discuss additional support for Ukraine and future diplomatic initiatives during meetings with the Ukrainian president in the coming days.
The strikes underscore the increasingly long-range nature of the conflict, with Ukraine demonstrating an ability to reach targets more than 1,000 kilometers from its borders, while Russia continues its own large-scale missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities. As both sides expand their aerial campaigns, prospects for a near-term breakthrough in peace efforts remain uncertain.
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