Ukrainian drones struck St. Petersburg overnight in a large-scale assault that damaged key infrastructure and left several people injured, coming just hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s flagship economic event opened in the city.
The attacks were part of a broader wave in which hundreds of drones targeted multiple Russian cities.
Kyiv said it also hit a naval vessel and other strategic assets, with strikes reportedly reaching as far as Moscow.
According to St. Petersburg governor Aleksandr Beglov, three districts of the city were affected in the drone assault shortly before the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, often compared to Davos, got underway on Wednesday.
In recent months, Kyiv has intensified long-range strikes on Russian oil and industrial facilities, deploying hundreds of drones to strain fuel supply chains and deepen economic pressure inside Russia.
In May, Ukrainian forces carried out what Russian state media described as their largest attack on Moscow in over a year.
Security concerns also loomed over earlier national events, including a scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow after a series of drone strikes on Russian territory, including an incident near a residential building in the capital days before the ceremony.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense said more than 350 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and destroyed across multiple regions, including areas near the border, the Leningrad region, and western cities such as Novgorod.
Ukraine’s military, however, claimed it struck the Russian Navy corvette “Boikiy” near Kronstadt island port outside St. Petersburg.
The vessel, part of the Baltic Fleet, was described by Kyiv as being equipped with “guided missile weapons,” and allegedly used to escort ships linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow oil fleet.”
Satellite imagery reportedly showed smoke rising from a warship located in dry dock at the base. CNN said it had contacted the Russian defense ministry for confirmation.
On Tuesday, additional Ukrainian strikes reportedly hit “critical infrastructure facilities” in Smolensk, near the Belarus border, according to regional governor Vasiliy Anokhin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the campaign was yielding “positive results,” pointing to continued strikes on “key targets,” including the St. Petersburg oil terminal, one of northwestern Russia’s largest fuel export hubs.
The terminal plays a significant role in Russia’s energy logistics. Russian officials said two firefighters were killed while responding to a blaze “caused by debris from a downed enemy drone,” with additional injuries reported among emergency workers and civilians.
Zelenskyy added, “Ukraine’s plan for long-range strikes is being carried out exactly as needed to bring peace closer.”
Video shared by the Ukrainian president showed large explosions and fires at Russian facilities, with thick smoke rising behind buildings in some clips.
Ukraine has rapidly expanded its drone warfare capabilities this year, increasingly targeting oil infrastructure and military-related sites far beyond frontline regions.
Moscow has warned of intensified retaliation. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said “our responses will be systemic in nature,” while Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters at SPIEF that “we strongly condemn” the attacks on St. Petersburg.
The forum itself is expected to host around 20,000 participants from more than 100 countries, according to Putin aide Yury Ushakov.
Putin is expected to deliver a “grand speech” on Friday focusing on “economic problems” alongside “political issues,” Peskov said.
High-profile attendees reportedly include US figures Candace Owens and Rodney Mims Cook Jr, while Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan also claimed to be in Moscow, though their participation remains unclear.
St. Petersburg airport temporarily restricted operations during the incident, delaying flights, before resuming service later on Wednesday.
The escalation comes amid intensified cross-border aerial attacks. On Tuesday, Russia launched a major barrage on Ukraine, hitting Kyiv and Dnipro in one of the deadliest strikes in months, killing at least 23 people, according to Ukrainian authorities.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attacks, citing more than 600 drones and missiles used in the strikes on Ukrainian territory.
