Ukrainian drones strike a St. Petersburg oil terminal ahead of Putin visit
NPR • • world
Key Points:
- Ukrainian long-range drones struck an oil terminal in St. Petersburg, setting it ablaze and producing large clouds of black smoke, according to President Zelenskyy; the drones flew over 1,000 kilometers to reach the target.
- The attack disrupted St. Petersburg's infrastructure, leading to a temporary suspension of airport flights and mobile internet services, while Russian authorities provided limited details on the strike.
- The strike occurred amid the annual international economic forum in St. Petersburg, a key event for President Putin, which has seen reduced Western participation since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
- Concurrently, Russia launched a massive drone and missile attack on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, killing at least 22 civilians and wounding 138, as both sides escalate long-range drone strikes in the ongoing conflict.
- Additional Ukrainian drone attacks targeted the Kronstadt naval base and a weapons manufacturing plant in Russia's Tambov region, while Russian defenses claimed to have downed hundreds of Ukrainian drones overnight.