Ukraine launched a massive drone attack on St Petersburg, striking the city's oil facilities, a data centre, a bridge and a power plant. The assault breached Russian air defences and set the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal ablaze, marking a significant blow to Vladimir Putin's hometown.
Key Targets Hit in St Petersburg
The attack targeted a major data centre connected to VK, Russia's equivalent of Facebook, causing extensive and critical disruption to services, including cloud platforms. A 2,035-ft cable-stayed bridge in Russia's capital and a power plant were also hit. The St. Petersburg Oil Terminal, capable of handling 12.5 million tons per year, was set on fire during the strike.
Air defences managed to down some drones, with debris sparking fires in apartment blocks. Putin was born 74 years ago in the city, back when it was known as Leningrad.
Residents Describe Fear and Explosions
One local resident said: "There are such loud bangs in the Nevsky district. Should I go to a shelter? I don't understand. It's just very frightening." Another stated: "I can see flashes of light. I'm very frightened, there are loud explosions. I'm worried." A woman added: "Why does Putin persist with this pointless war. We're under siege. It's like in the history books from the Great Patriot War [WW2]."
Flight Disruptions and Regional Impact
Neighbouring NATO country Finland was compelled to enforce flight restrictions as Ukraine's long-range drones pounded St Petersburg, with airspace limited in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland. The attack caused disruption to flights across European Russia. Early today, 327 flights were delayed or cancelled at St Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport, where staff and employees were instructed to seek refuge in shelters. An additional 174 flights were disrupted overnight in Moscow, which has endured over a week of airport chaos due to Ukrainian drones.
Russian reports stated that more than 200 "enemy drones" were shot down attacking Moscow and St Petersburg. The extensive Ukrainian strike followed Zelensky's plea to Trump to "put more pressure on Putin, and not on us. Otherwise, it would be simply unfair."
Political Reactions and Calls for Pressure
Trump has called for an end of Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil facilities. However, Zelensky has stated: "Russia is trying to create a blackout in Ukraine just before winter. Russia is trying to leave millions of our people without electricity and heating. Pressure is needed to stop this. American sanctions, a weakening of pressure on the aggressor, and financial rewards for Putin only encourage him to continue the attacks.
"We must not give up our positions and must try to end the war. End it, not give Putin every reason to continue it indefinitely." The Ukrainian leader added: "Putin wants to destroy us. He doesn't respect us, our sovereignty, or our territorial integrity. He truly believes that we are not a country, not a nation. Do you really believe that he is satisfied with just the eastern part of our country? And why, when the full-scale invasion began, did he go to Kyiv? Is this about the Donbas? No, this is about the capital. Without a capital, there is no state."
