Petersburg

Ukraine has struck a major oil terminal in Russia’s second city of St Petersburg and other targets in the country’s north-west.

In a post on social media, President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote: “Ukraine’s defence forces struck port oil infrastructure that generates revenue for Russia’s war.” He also said an “important military target” was hit overnight in Kronstadt, a nearby naval base.

St Petersburg Governor Aleksandr Beglov said the city was under a “massive” drone attack, admitting the oil terminal was hit. He reported no casualties.

Ukraine has in recent months intensified its long-range drone attacks on Russia’s critical energy infrastructure, causing fuel shortages in a number of regions.

In his post on Saturday morning, Zelensky said the targets hit in St Petersburg and the surrounding region were about 850km (528 miles) from Ukraine’s border.

The extent of the damage was not immediately clear, but a video posted by the Ukrainian president showed a drone flying towards a target and a huge column of black smoke billowing from the area after the strike.

The BBC later verified that St Petersburg’s oil terminal was hit.

Ukraine’s military described the terminal as “one of the largest” in Russia, capable of producing 12.5 million tonnes of petroleum products per year.

The military also said a key naval base of the Russian Baltic Fleet in Kronstadt was hit.

Russia has not publicly commented on the claim.

Writing on Telegram, Governor Beglov said that 72 Ukrainian drones were shot down over St Petersburg and the wider Leningrad region.

He urged city residents to stay indoors until the drone threat was lifted. Mobile internet services may also be disrupted, he warned.

More than five million people live in St Petersburg.

In a separate development on Saturday, Ukraine’s military denied that the key eastern Ukrainian town of Kostyantynivka was now under full Russian control.

Military spokesman Maj Andriy Kovalyov told the BBC that “Kostyantynivka remains under the control of the Defence Forces of Ukraine”.

He admitted that there were “cases of infiltration by small infantry groups deep into the combat formations of our forces”, but added that those groups were being identified and destroyed.

His comments came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russian control had been established over the town of Kostyantynivka in June.

Putin provided no evidence to back his claim.

Later on Saturday, Zelensky wrote on Telegram: “If Kostyantynivka is now under Russian control, then Putin will probably have no problem meeting me there and finding diplomatic solutions to finally end the war. But still, he will not cross the front line: the truth is very different from Putin’s words.”

Kostyantynivka is one of several heavily-fortified towns that make up Ukraine’s “fortress belt” in the Donetsk region, most of which is occupied by Russia.

President Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

June 6 (UPI) — A drone attack launched by Ukraine hit St. Petersburg, Russia, overnight as Russian President Vladimir Putin wraps up an economic forum there.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinsky had asked Putin to meet face to face and discuss peace talks, but Putin responded that there was no point.

“It is time to end this war. But Russia’s ruler wants to keep fighting,” Zelensky wrote on X early Saturday. “That is why Ukrainian sanctions against this aggression are working. Last night, our drones covered a distance of about 1,000 kilometers to the St. Petersburg region — to the enemy navy’s arsenals and a base in Kronstadt. Our long-range sanctions also reached about 500 kilometers into the Krasnodar region — and hit an oil depot.”

Kronstadt is home to a naval academy and is the main base, repair and supply hub for the Russian navy in the Eastern Baltic.

Leningrad Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko said more than 140 drones were shot down in his region. St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov told residents to stay indoors, CNN reported. He also said three people were injured.

Drozdenko said more than 600 people were evacuated from Bolshaya Izhora, a village on the Gulf of Finland near St. Petersburg, as efforts continued to put out a fire. The area is also home to a Russian naval arsenal, CNN reported.

St. Petersburg is Russia’s second-largest city, behind Moscow.

The New York Times reported that St. Petersburg’s main airport, Pulkovo, suspended operations for almost five hours, according to Rosaviatsia, the Russian aviation authority. Residents reported smoke in the sky and roaring noises and bangs, according to Fontanka, a local news website.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X Saturday that “Things will only get worse for Russia. Battlefield losses will continue to grow. Failures will get more humiliating. … “The international pressure will not ease. It will only get stronger. Including the use of frozen assets, travel bans and inevitable accountability for crimes,” Sybiha said.

Zelensky is scheduled to meet with leaders of France, Germany and Great Britain in London Sunday to discuss support for Ukraine and peace talks, Politico reported.