Ukraine Launches Over 1,000 Drones at Russia as St. Petersburg Oil Facilities Burn

Ukrainian drone strikes hit St. Petersburg on Sunday, setting an oil export terminal and a depot on fire during one of the largest aerial attacks of the war. Governor Alexander Beglov reported that one person died and five others were hurt in the city, where the attacks damaged the Petersburg Oil Terminal and the Ruchyi oil depot. Local officials also noted that 12 apartment buildings and two homes suffered damage, Pulkovo Airport temporarily shut down, and mobile internet service faced disruptions. Ozon and VK confirmed that their local logistics centre and data centre were respectively targeted by drones, with Ozon pausing shipments at the hit site after a fire broke out and staff evacuated.

Russian Response And U.S. Tensions

Russia's Defence Ministry stated that its forces destroyed 1,015 Ukrainian drones across 15 regions, the Crimean peninsula, and the Black Sea. The massive aerial assault unfolded amid mounting friction between Kyiv and Washington over U.S. policy. U.S. President Donald Trump recently criticized Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure and signed an executive order waiving planned sanctions against Moscow to protect U.S. national interests. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned on NBC's 'Meet the Press' that waiving these sanctions would strengthen Vladimir Putin's war effort, though he confirmed that U.S.-Ukraine intelligence sharing had resumed after a temporary block. In a separate incident on Sunday, Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhia killed a woman and wounded a six-year-old girl along with others, damaging residential buildings and an educational facility according to regional military administration head Mykhailo Semikin.

Context

Large-scale drone campaigns by Ukraine target Russian energy infrastructure and logistics hubs to disrupt the primary revenue streams funding Moscow's military operations. These attacks frequently strain diplomatic relations with Western allies who balance domestic economic concerns against ongoing support for Kyiv's defense. St. Petersburg remains a major target further north from the immediate frontline, highlighting the extended reach of recent aerial operations.