Ukrainian Drones Strike St. Petersburg Oil Terminal as Putin’s Economic Forum Opens

Ukrainian drones struck St. Petersburg overnight into Wednesday morning as the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum prepared to open, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying the strikes hit targets including the Petersburg Oil Terminal.

“Ukrainian drones hit St”

ABC News

ABC News reported that Zelenskyy said the latest round of "long-range sanctions" "yielded good results" and that "Important facilities on Russian territory were hit last night," while CNN said the drones struck key infrastructure and wounding several people just hours before Putin’s signature economic forum opened.

ABC News

St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said in a post to Telegram that "infrastructure facilities in the Kronstadt, Kirovsky and Krasnoselsky districts were attacked" and that "Several people were injured" with "There were no fatalities," as Rosaviatsiya said temporary flight restrictions were introduced at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport.

CNN also reported that Russia’s air defenses intercepted and destroyed more than 350 Ukrainian drones over areas including the Leningrad region and the western city of Novgorod, while Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian military claimed to have hit a Russian corvette dubbed the “Boikiy” along the Kronstadt island port near St. Petersburg.

In Kyiv’s framing, Zelenskyy said the drones hit the Saint Petersburg Oil Terminal and the Kronstadt military base, and DW quoted him saying "Ukraine's plan for long-range sanctions is being implemented exactly as needed to bring peace closer," as the Guardian described the strikes as a blow to Vladimir Putin.

Russian officials and local authorities emphasized damage without fatalities, with Beglov telling reporters that "There were no fatalities" and that efforts were underway to mitigate consequences after "Several facilities were damaged" in the targeted districts.

Al Jazeera

NBC News described residents fearing more Ukrainian strikes as they saw plumes of black smoke above the city, while CNN reported Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warned that "our responses will be systemic in nature" in a call with journalists.

The Guardian added that Putin was due to deliver a keynote speech on Friday and that guests arrived for Wednesday’s opening ceremony under thick smoke, while AP reported that Zelenskyy said the drones flew more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) to hit the terminal and set it ablaze.

The attacks unfolded as the forum drew international participation, with Al Jazeera saying "Some 20,000 guests from more than 130 countries are expected to attend" the three-day SPIEF, and CNN reporting that Putin’s forum was drawing thousands of attendees.

“Some 20,000 guests from more than 130 countries are expected to attend the three-day St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), an annual gathering often described as the “Russian Davos””

Al Jazeera

Zelenskyy linked the strikes to disrupting Russia’s war economy, with NPR saying he stated the drones struck an oil terminal and that the drones flew more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles), while AP said Zelenskyy indicated Kyiv aimed only at “legitimate targets” related to Russia’s war effort and that Kyiv plans to escalate its long-range drone attacks.

Russia’s response posture was also tied to the forum’s timing, with ABC News reporting that Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down at least 354 Ukrainian drones overnight into Wednesday morning and with CNN noting Moscow doubled down on threats of intensified strikes following the Ukrainian assault on Tuesday night.

Beyond St. Petersburg, the same reporting connected the drone campaign to other regions and casualties, with CNN describing two firefighters killed in Smolensk after a blaze caused by debris from a downed enemy drone, and NPR reporting that in the Russia-controlled part of Ukraine’s Donetsk region a Ukrainian strike hit a bus traveling from Moscow to Crimea, killing seven and injuring 11.