Russia reports drone attacks, including on St. Petersburg
Ukraine again targeted St. Petersburg and Russian oil infrastructure with drones, as the war’s cross-border strikes intensified. Russia said dozens of regions were hit and several people were lightly injured.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
On the final day of the St. Petersburg economic forum, Russian authorities said the city came under a large drone attack, with air traffic briefly halted and minor damage reported. The story also ties the strikes to wider attacks on oil and military sites across Russia.
Russia says drones attacked St. Petersburg and other places, like a swarm of angry bees buzzing around a city and its oil sites. Flights stopped for a while, some people were hurt a little, and both sides kept blaming each other.
Analysis
St. Petersburg under pressure
Russian authorities said St. Petersburg was hit by a major drone attack on the last day of the international economic forum. According to Leningrad region governor Alexander Drozdenko, more than 140 drones were intercepted overnight. Falling debris reportedly damaged building facades and windows, and a fire broke out near a military site.
City governor Alexander Beglov said three people were lightly injured in the city. The airport at Pulkovo temporarily suspended takeoffs and landings because of the drone threat, and the port of Kronstadt, used by Russia’s Baltic Fleet, was also said to have come under attack.
Wider strikes on oil and military targets
The article says attacks were also reported in other Russian regions. Russian state news agencies, citing the defense ministry in Moscow, said 911 drones and 13 guided bombs were shot down within 24 hours, including 376 overnight. The reported strikes covered nearly 20 regions, among them Moscow, Kursk, Bryansk, Belgorod, Rostov, Ryazan, Tula, and Crimea.
Russian media also reported a fire at an oil depot in the Krasnodar region, and said the port of Mariupol in Russian-occupied Donetsk was affected as well. Videos circulating on social media showed large fires and smoke, but the article notes these could not initially be independently verified.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed attacks on the oil depot in Krasnodar and a military base in St. Petersburg on X. He said Russia should end the war and stop its attacks on life, adding that any injustice against Ukraine would receive a just response.
The strikes were a recurring topic at the forum itself. President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that the attacks were causing some damage to the economy, but said they would not create major risks and argued that air defenses needed strengthening.
Key points
- Russian authorities said more than 140 drones were intercepted over St. Petersburg overnight.
- The Pulkovo airport briefly halted flights because of the drone threat.
- Officials reported light injuries, damage from falling debris, and a fire near a military site.
- Russian media said attacks also hit oil and military targets in several regions.
- Zelenskyy confirmed strikes on a Krasnodar oil depot and a military base in St. Petersburg.
If the attacks increase pressure on Russia without causing wider escalation, they could strengthen calls for air defenses and eventually create more interest in talks. The article also notes that Berlin still hopes for conversations with Moscow despite the ongoing strikes.
The attacks could keep spreading damage to cities, airports, and energy sites, making the war harder to contain. Russia’s claims of widespread drone interception and Ukraine’s stated intent to keep striking suggest the cycle of retaliation may continue.
