Ukraine has launched what officials described as a large-scale drone attack on Russian oil infrastructure near St. Petersburg, as Kyiv continues its campaign against facilities it says help finance Russia’s war effort.
The overnight strike targeted an oil terminal in Russia’s second-largest city, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov confirmed that the port area was struck but said there were no casualties. He added that Russian air defence systems intercepted 72 Ukrainian drones over the city and the surrounding region.
In a statement, Zelenskyy described the targeted facility as an “important military target” that generates revenue for Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“Last night, our Ukrainian long-range sanctions against Russia over this war reached targets near St. Petersburg,” he said, adding that Ukrainian forces had also struck military infrastructure in Kronstadt, a key Russian naval base located more than 850 kilometres from Ukraine’s border.
Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian oil depots, refineries and fuel storage facilities, arguing that they are legitimate military objectives because energy exports provide significant funding for Moscow’s military operations.
Russian authorities have acknowledged several recent attacks on energy infrastructure, including previous strikes near St. Petersburg and in occupied Crimea, where disruptions have reportedly affected fuel supplies.
Moscow has repeatedly condemned the attacks and warned they “will not go unanswered.” Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously described Ukrainian strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure as “not critical,” maintaining that they would not alter Russia’s military objectives.
Meanwhile, Russia announced fresh gains on the battlefield, claiming its forces had captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostyantynivka after weeks of fighting. Putin described the development as strategically significant, saying it would strengthen Russia’s advance toward the remaining Ukrainian-held strongholds in the Donetsk region.
Ukraine rejected the claim, with Zelenskyy insisting that Kostyantynivka remains under Ukrainian control and accusing Moscow of spreading misinformation.
The battlefield claims made by both Russia and Ukraine have not been independently verified.
