Ukrainian long-range drones attacked an oil terminal in St. Petersburg, Russia, igniting a fire, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This incident occurred while the Russian city hosted an annual economic forum led by President Vladimir Putin.
The drones traveled over 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) to reach the terminal, resulting in significant smoke over the port area, Zelenskyy reported via social media. Russian authorities indicated the strike targeted city infrastructure but did not provide further details. The airport in St. Petersburg briefly suspended operations due to the attack, and mobile internet services were disrupted.
Putin is scheduled to speak at the economic forum, which is seen as a significant event for the Kremlin, although many Western investors and officials have avoided attendance since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Saudi Arabia is expected to send a large business delegation as a special guest country.
This drone strike is perceived as an embarrassment for Putin, following recent restrictions on the annual Victory Day parade in Moscow due to concerns over Ukrainian drone attacks.
The attack followed Russian forces’ extensive drone and missile strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, which resulted in civilian casualties. Both Russia and Ukraine have increasingly employed long-range attacks as the conflict continues without resolution, entering its fifth year.
Ukraine aims to undermine Russia’s oil production, a vital funding source for the Kremlin, by targeting oil facilities, including those in St. Petersburg and nearby ports. Zelenskyy also indicated that Ukrainian drones attacked the Kronstadt naval base and a weapon production plant in Russia’s Tambov region, situated 600 kilometers (370 miles) from Ukraine.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported downing 354 Ukrainian drones during the same period. In Russian-controlled Donetsk, a Ukrainian strike on a bus traveling from Moscow to Crimea resulted in seven deaths and 11 injuries, according to local officials.
In the Smolensk region, two firefighters were reported killed from a Ukrainian drone attack, with additional casualties among other emergency responders and civilians. Meanwhile, Russia launched 198 long-range drones at Ukraine overnight, with air defenses reportedly neutralizing 189 of them.
Ukrainian authorities in the northern Sumy region indicated one civilian was killed and 15 injured, including three children, due to Russian strikes within the last 24 hours. In Kherson, Russian shelling and drone attacks resulted in the death of an 86-year-old woman and injuries to five others.
Source: www.npr.org via Google News.
