Ukraine has carried out one of its most significant long-range drone operations of the war, targeting Russia’s second-largest city, Saint Petersburg, in what Russian officials described as an “unprecedented attack.”
According to authorities in Russia’s surrounding Leningrad Oblast region, more than 140 Ukrainian drones were intercepted during the assault. Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko said the attack sparked a fire at a military facility and caused minor damage to nearby buildings, prompting evacuations in affected areas.
For the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov urged residents to remain indoors as authorities responded to the threat.
The attack occurred as Russia hosted the final day of the annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, a major event designed to attract international investment and showcase Russia’s economic resilience despite ongoing Western sanctions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the strikes, saying Ukrainian drones traveled approximately 1,000 kilometers to target military assets, including naval arsenals and facilities in Kronstadt, home to key elements of Russia’s Baltic Fleet.
Zelensky also stated that Ukrainian forces struck an oil depot in Russia’s southern Krasnodar Krai region, describing the operation as part of Ukraine’s strategy of imposing “long-range sanctions” against infrastructure supporting Russia’s war effort.
The strikes came just one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected Zelensky’s proposal for direct peace talks aimed at ending the conflict. Speaking at the economic forum, Putin argued that a ceasefire would merely allow Ukraine to regroup militarily and reiterated that Russia would continue fighting until its objectives were achieved.
Moscow maintains that Ukraine should relinquish claims to the regions of Donetsk Oblast, Luhansk Oblast, Kherson Oblast, and Zaporizhzhia Oblast, while abandoning aspirations to join NATO. Kyiv has repeatedly rejected those conditions, insisting that surrendering territory would encourage future Russian aggression.
In a message following the attacks, Zelensky said it was “time to end this war” but accused Putin of seeking to prolong the conflict rather than negotiate a settlement.
Meanwhile, Russian-installed authorities in the occupied Luhansk Oblast region announced restrictions on transportation routes after a series of Ukrainian drone attacks targeting logistics networks. Officials suspended coach services on key highways and halted some rail operations, citing security concerns.
Ukraine has increasingly relied on domestically developed drone technology to strike deep inside Russian territory. In recent months, Kyiv has focused on military installations, fuel depots, oil facilities, and transportation infrastructure that support Russia’s military operations.
Russia, for its part, continues to accuse Ukraine of endangering civilians through cross-border attacks, while Ukraine argues that its operations are directed at military and strategic targets involved in Moscow’s invasion.