Ukraine has launched a coordinated drone attack on Russian energy infrastructure in St Petersburg overnight as Kyiv presses on with bombardment.
Aleksandr Beglov, the governor of St Petersburg, admitted the port had been hit and said Russian air defences had shot down 72 Ukrainian drones across Russia’s second-largest city and the surrounding region.
Volodymyr Zelensky said over 220 drones were deployed to cause the harm as he described the port as an ‘important military target’ which ‘generates revenue for Russia’s war’ on Kyiv.
On Saturday morning, the Ukrainian president confirmed the retaliatory strike and said: ‘Last night, our Ukrainian long-range sanctions against Russia over this war reached targets near St. Petersburg.
‘Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck port oil infrastructure that generates revenue for Russia’s war, and there were also successful strikes on Kronstadt – an important military target.
‘The distance from Ukraine’s state border is more than 850 kilometers. My thanks to everyone who is ensuring Ukraine’s precision and carrying out our long-range sanctions plan. Glory to Ukraine!’
Almost daily long-range attacks on Russian oil facilities have created a fuel crisis and heaped political pressure on the Kremlin as its invasion stretches into its fifth year.
