A drone attack by Ukraine struck an oil terminal in St. Petersburg on Saturday, according to Russian officials. This incident is part of a series of long-range attacks on Russian oil infrastructure, which have contributed to a fuel crisis in the country. Governor Alexander Beglov reported that the Kirovsky district, located on the Baltic Sea, was affected and that air defenses intercepted 72 Ukrainian drones in St. Petersburg and its vicinity.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy characterized the attack as part of Ukraine's strategy to impose 'long-range sanctions' on Russia. He noted that Ukrainian forces also targeted a military site on the island of Kronstadt, which is near St. Petersburg. Zelenskyy stated, "The Ukrainian defense forces hit the port oil infrastructure, which earns money for the Russian war, and there were also hits on Kronstadt — an important military target."
The Kirovsky district had previously experienced an attack in June, prior to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. In related developments, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the significance of Ukraine's strikes on energy facilities, asserting that the war would continue until his objectives are achieved. He described the attacks as attempts by Ukraine to divert attention from its battlefield losses.
Putin recently visited military headquarters overseeing operations in Ukraine and received updates on the capture of the city of Kostyantynivka, which he deemed strategically important. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy refuted claims of Russian control over the city, labeling them as misinformation.
In other news, drone strikes in the border city of Belgorod left the area without power, while a Russian attack on residential buildings in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region injured eight people, including two children.