Ukrainian long-range drones successfully struck an oil terminal in St. Petersburg, setting it ablaze, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The strike, which sent smoke billowing over the city, occurred just before Russia's premier economic forum, a prestige event that Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to address. The drones traveled over 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) to reach their target, a day after Moscow launched a drone and missile attack on Ukrainian cities.
In addition to the oil terminal, other Ukrainian drone attacks overnight reportedly set fire to the guided-missile corvette Boikiy, which was in dry dock at the Kronstadt naval base, west of St. Petersburg. Satellite images later confirmed significant damage at the oil terminal, with eyewitnesses reporting multiple hits and fiery explosions. The St. Petersburg Oil Terminal is one of Russia's largest liquid cargo transshipment terminals on the Baltic Sea, with an annual capacity of approximately 10-12.5 million tons. This attack marks at least the 20th time Ukrainian drones have targeted this facility since February 2022.
The timing of these strikes, ahead of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which attracts around 20,000 attendees from over 130 countries, highlights Ukraine's strategic effort to diminish Russia's oil production, a critical source of funding for Moscow, and to disrupt weapon manufacturing. Major Western investors and officials have largely stayed away from the forum since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, though Saudi Arabia sent a large business delegation this year. The attacks also caused brief flight suspensions at the city's airport and mobile internet service disruptions, while Russian state media largely downplayed or ignored the incidents.
The strikes are seen as an embarrassment for Putin, following previous security concerns that led to a scaled-back annual Victory Day parade. Ukraine also targeted a Russian manufacturing plant involved in weapon production in the Tambov region. While Ukraine demonstrated its long-range drone capabilities, Zelenskyy expressed frustration over delays in acquiring Patriot air defense systems, noting that while an agreement exists at the highest political level, implementation is hindered by financial, legal, and technical issues. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte acknowledged ongoing U.S. efforts to supply interceptor missiles, limited by production rates.
