Ukraine has claimed responsibility for a drone strike on a major oil terminal in Russia’s second-largest city, St Petersburg, in what President Volodymyr Zelensky described as a key facility generating revenue for Moscow’s war effort.
Zelensky said the overnight attack also targeted a Russian naval base in the same region, adding that both locations formed part of critical military and energy infrastructure.
The governor of St Petersburg, Aleksandr Beglov, confirmed the city was hit by what he described as a “massive” drone assault and acknowledged that the oil terminal was struck. He said no casualties were reported.
Ukraine has intensified long-range drone operations in recent weeks, focusing on Russian energy facilities, with Kyiv claiming that nearly 43 per cent of Russia’s oil refining capacity has been disrupted as a result, although this figure has not been independently verified.
Ukrainian officials argue that oil and gas infrastructure is a legitimate military target, saying Russia depends heavily on energy exports to finance its ongoing war.
In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently signed legislation aimed at stabilising domestic fuel supplies after acknowledging shortages linked to Ukrainian strikes, a rare admission from the Kremlin leader.
Zelensky said the latest strikes in St Petersburg and surrounding areas were carried out roughly 850 kilometres from Ukraine’s border, highlighting the increasing range of drone attacks.
Video released by the Ukrainian president showed drones approaching their targets followed by large plumes of smoke, while the BBC later verified that the oil terminal had been hit.
Ukraine’s military described the facility as one of Russia’s largest, with significant annual production capacity, and also claimed responsibility for striking a Russian Baltic Fleet naval base in Kronstadt. Russia has not publicly confirmed the claims.
Governor Beglov said air defence systems shot down 72 drones over the city and Leningrad region, and warned residents to remain indoors as mobile internet services could be disrupted. St Petersburg is home to more than five million people.
Meanwhile, Ukraine denied Russian claims that the eastern town of Kostyantynivka had fallen under Moscow’s control, insisting it remains under Ukrainian defence forces despite ongoing infiltration attempts.
Both Russia and Ukraine have traded conflicting claims over battlefield developments, with Moscow asserting gains and Kyiv rejecting them as misinformation.
The latest escalation comes as both sides seek strategic advantage ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Turkey, while fighting and drone warfare continue to intensify across multiple fronts.
