Ukraine carried out a major drone assault on Russia’s St Petersburg region on Wednesday, striking targets near the country’s second largest city and disrupting activities ahead of a high profile economic forum aimed at attracting foreign investment.
As thick black smoke rose over parts of the region at daybreak, Russian authorities said air defence systems intercepted 59 drones overnight. Despite the scale of the attack, officials reported no fatalities, though several districts around St Petersburg were affected.
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According to BBC, the strikes came just hours before the start of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, one of Russia’s most important annual events. The gathering, often described as Russia’s answer to Davos, is expected to host thousands of delegates from more than 130 countries, with President Vladimir Putin scheduled to deliver a keynote address on Friday.
Russian authorities temporarily shut down Pulkovo Airport and mobile internet services were disrupted across parts of the city. Air raid alerts were also issued in neighbouring Latvia and Estonia as concerns mounted over regional security.
