Kyiv says its drones hit one of Russia’s largest oil storage and export facilities nearly 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, as Moscow reports 354 drones intercepted overnight and Russian officials say several sites were damagedHeavy smoke rose over St. Petersburg on Wednesday morning after several sites in and around the Russian city were reportedly hit in a Ukrainian drone attack, nearly 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.The strike came on the same day St. Petersburg was set to open a major international economic forum, where Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to speak. The timing suggests the attack was meant to disrupt the event and embarrass Putin and his government.Explosion in St. PetersburgVideos circulating from St. Petersburg showed large explosions at facilities near the city. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky quickly said the strike had targeted the city’s oil terminal, one of Russia’s largest oil storage and export facilities, with an annual capacity of 12.5 million tons.St. Petersburg Gov. Alexander Beglov said three areas in the region were hit overnight in the Ukrainian drone attack, damaging several facilities and wounding several people.3 View gallery Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo: Sergei Bobylev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo/ AP)In a post on X, Zelensky said Ukraine’s “long-range sanctions,” his term for drone strikes deep inside Russia, had produced “good results.” He said the strikes also hit the Kronstadt naval base on an island near St. Petersburg and an arms plant in the Tambov region of central Russia, about 600 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.“I thank our warriors for their precision,” Zelensky wrote. “Ukraine’s program of long-range sanctions is being implemented exactly as needed to bring peace closer. Glory to Ukraine!”3 View gallery St. Petersburg (Photo: AP)The forum opening on Wednesday in St. Petersburg is seen as Russia’s flagship economic event and has been dubbed the “Russian Davos,” after the annual World Economic Forum in Switzerland. Organizers said representatives from 100 countries are expected to attend, including American representatives for the first time in years. Putin is expected to deliver the keynote address on Friday.Earlier, Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted 354 Ukrainian drones overnight across several Russian regions. In addition to St. Petersburg, Moscow and the Novgorod region were also reportedly targeted.In Smolensk, near the Belarusian border, local authorities reported a Ukrainian attempt to strike “critical infrastructure facilities.” Regional Gov. Vasily Anokhin said two firefighters were killed while battling flames sparked by “debris from a downed enemy drone.”Separately, Russian-installed authorities in occupied Donetsk in eastern Ukraine said seven people were killed and 11 wounded when a Ukrainian drone struck a passenger bus traveling on a route between Simferopol and Moscow.The broad Ukrainian attack came a day after a major Russian assault on Ukrainian cities killed 23 people, including seven in Kyiv and 16 in Dnipro.Comments