Ukraine conducted a significant drone strike on a major oil terminal in St Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, during an overnight operation. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the attack on social media, targeting the port oil infrastructure that funds Russia’s military activities. Additionally, Ukrainian forces struck the Kronstadt naval base, located approximately 528 miles from Ukraine’s border.
The drone attacks by Ukraine on Russia’s critical energy infrastructure have escalated, claiming to have rendered nearly 43% of Russia’s oil refining capacity inoperable. This action followed a Russian assault on Kyiv that resulted in the deaths of 30 individuals, marking the deadliest attack in Ukraine this year.
St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov acknowledged the drone strike on the city and confirmed the damage to the oil terminal, noting no casualties. Governor Alexander Drozdenko of the Leningrad region reported a drone hitting the Vysotsk port area but did not provide details on the impact.
Moscow retaliated, stating it had downed nearly 500 Ukrainian drones and 10 Flamingo missiles from Kyiv in response. Meanwhile, Ukraine refuted Moscow’s claim that Russian forces had seized the strategic city of Kostyantynivka, emphasizing that the city remained under Ukrainian control.
Ukrainian army spokesperson Andriy Kovalyov affirmed that Ukrainian forces retained control of Kostyantynivka, dismissing Moscow’s assertions as false. Despite ongoing infiltration attempts by Russian troops, Kovalyov stated that Ukrainian defenders continued to hold defensive positions.
The capture of Kostyantynivka is crucial for Moscow’s objective of reaching the major Ukrainian-held cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in the Donbas region. Zelensky denounced Russia’s claims and reiterated the need for diplomatic negotiations to end the conflict, highlighting Putin’s reluctance to engage in talks to resolve the long-standing conflict.
Putin, in military attire, commended Russian troops for the alleged capture of Kostyantynivka, a town Moscow has sought to control for months. The situation remains tense as both sides contest the control of key strategic locations in the ongoing conflict.