Ukraine drones bomb an oil terminal in St. Petersburg
Ukraine launched one of its deepest drone strikes inside Russia overnight, targeting energy and military facilities in St Petersburg, as the city prepared to host President Vladimir Putin’s main economic forum.Meanwhile, Russian authorities accused Ukraine of carrying out a separate drone strike on a passenger bus in the Russian-controlled part of the Donetsk region, killing 8 people and wounding many more.The attacks came hours after a deadly wave of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, reflecting the intense tit-for-tat campaign that has pushed the war deep into both countries’ territories.According to the AP news agency, long-range Ukrainian drones bombed an oil terminal and military facilities in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, temporarily closing the airport and disrupting communications ahead of the annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the drones flew more than 1,000 kilometers to hit the oil terminal in St. Petersburg.
A video shared by Ukrainian officials showed thick black smoke rising from the facility. According to Agence France-Presse, smoke was visible from the conference venue where delegates gathered.
Ukraine claims to have struck a naval base and a warship
Zelensky said Ukrainian drones also targeted the Kronstadt Naval Base, home of Russia’s Baltic Fleet.
The Ukrainian military later claimed to have hit the warship Boikiy, causing a major fire on board the warship.The commander of the Ukrainian drone forces published footage that he said showed the attack on the ship at the naval base.Russian authorities confirmed that infrastructure facilities in St. Petersburg were damaged, but did not provide details. Governor Alexander Beglov said that no injuries were reported.The strikes disrupted operations at St. Petersburg’s main airport, suspending flights for several hours overnight.
Mobile internet services have also been temporarily restricted, according to the AP news agency.Zelensky described the attacks as part of Ukraine’s strategy “Long-term penalties” Targets Russian military and energy infrastructure.“Ukraine’s plan to impose long-term sanctions is being implemented exactly as needed to bring peace closer.” He said.
SPIEF Forum opens in the shadow of war
The attacks coincided with the opening of SPIEF, often referred to as “Davos Russia”.
The forum remains one of the most important economic events in Moscow despite the departure of most Western investors following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Putin is expected to deliver a keynote speech on Friday. This year’s conference is expected to be attended by about 20,000 participants from 130 countries.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov pledged to respond to the Ukrainian strikes.“Our responses will be systemic in nature,” He told reporters.The Kremlin also stated that it continues to fight in Ukraine to prevent such drone attacks from occurring.
Russia accuses Ukraine of a deadly attack on a bus
According to Reuters, Denis Pushilin, the Russia-appointed leader of Donetsk, said a Ukrainian drone hit the bus as it stopped to pick up passengers in Yenakiev.Pushilin said that eight civilians were killed and 11 others were injured.Kyiv did not immediately comment on this allegation. Ukraine, like Russia, denies deliberately targeting civilians.Russian investigators opened a criminal case in what they described as a “terrorist attack.”Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of orchestrating a fraud “chase” against civilians, while Special Ambassador Rodion Miroshnik claimed that Kiev was trying to intimidate residents in Russian-controlled areas.
Drone warfare escalates
The latest attacks come amid a sharp escalation in long-range strikes by both sides.According to the Associated Press, Russia launched 198 drones into Ukraine overnight, while Russian authorities said their air defenses intercepted 354 Ukrainian drones in multiple regions.The exchange followed a major Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine on Tuesday that killed at least 23 people and wounded more than 130 others.Fighting also continued along the front lines. Ukrainian authorities said that Russian strikes killed civilians in the Kherson, Sumy and Kharkiv regions, while officials confirmed in Russia reported casualties in occupied eastern Ukraine.With battlefield lines largely fixed and drone warfare increasingly shaping the conflict, both Moscow and Kiev are relying more on long-range attacks targeting military infrastructure, energy facilities and logistics networks far from the front.