Ukraine launches long-range drone assault near St Petersburg, striking naval targets and oil facilities, as tensions escalate and prospects for Russia-Ukraine peace talks remain stalled, reports Asian Lite News Desk
Russian authorities have said Ukraine carried out an “unprecedented” drone assault targeting areas around St Petersburg, coinciding with the final day of the country’s flagship economic forum.
Officials in the surrounding Leningrad region reported that more than 140 drones were intercepted overnight, marking one of the largest such attacks near Russia’s second-largest city since the war began. Regional governor Aleksandr Drozdenko said the strikes triggered a fire at a military facility and prompted evacuations, though damage to civilian infrastructure was described as limited.
In a rare move, St Petersburg governor Alexander Beglov urged residents to remain indoors — the first such advisory issued in the city since the start of the conflict.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the operation, describing it as a “just response” to continued Russian strikes. He said Ukrainian forces had targeted naval infrastructure in Kronstadt, the key base of Russia’s Baltic Fleet, after drones travelled approximately 1,000km to reach the region.
Zelensky also claimed a separate long-range strike hit an oil depot in the Krasnodar region, about 500km away, as part of what he termed Ukraine’s “long-range sanctions” against Russian military and energy assets.
“It is time to end this war,” Zelensky said, accusing Russia of prolonging the conflict. “Any manifestation of injustice against Ukraine will receive a just response.”
The escalation comes just a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the prospect of direct talks with Zelensky, saying there was “no point” in holding a meeting at this stage. Kyiv has repeatedly pushed for high-level negotiations, while Moscow insists conditions are not yet in place.
