Ukraine hits major oil terminal in Russia’s St Petersburg

Russia’s second-largest city, St Petersburg, and the surrounding Leningrad region were hit overnight Saturday by what Russian officials described as a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack, with local oil and port infrastructure struck, they said.

St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said the city of about 6 million faced a “large-scale” attack and that the city’s oil terminal was hit. He said there were no casualties and that the aftermath had been addressed.

Leningrad region Governor Alexander Drozdenko said a drone struck the area of the Vysotsk port, roughly 170 km (105 miles) northwest of St Petersburg on the Baltic Sea. He said the port handles oil, grain, coal and liquefied natural gas.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a post on Telegram, said Ukraine’s forces struck port oil infrastructure that generates revenue for Russia’s war and also hit Kronstadt, an important military target more than 850 km (530 miles) from Ukraine’s state border. Russian officials did not confirm a strike on Kronstadt, a naval base near St Petersburg.

Russia said 72 drones were shot down over the region. Reuters reported minor damage in several settlements, while Drozdenko did not provide details on the extent of damage at Vysotsk port.

The reported strikes come as Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, officials and analysts say, and as Russia continues to face fuel pressure in multiple regions. Reuters reported long queues at fuel stations in the Leningrad region town of Gatchina, with some outlets entirely out of fuel.