Ukrainian Drones Strike Near St. Petersburg in Unprecedented Attack as Russia Hosts Economic Forum

Russian authorities describe an "unprecedented" Ukrainian drone attack on and around St. Petersburg that unfolded Saturday, coinciding with the final day of Russia’s flagship economic forum. The city’s governor, Alexander Beglov, urged residents to remain indoors—a directive issued for the first time since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

More than 140 drones were intercepted over the surrounding Leningrad region, according to Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko. He reported that the attacks triggered a fire at an unspecified military facility and forced evacuations, while damage to buildings was described as "insignificant."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his forces struck Russia’s arsenals and a naval base in Kronstadt, a key outpost of the Russian Navy’s Baltic Fleet, calling the operation a just response to Russian strikes. He posted on social media that Ukrainian drones had flown up to 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) to reach the St. Petersburg region, and that an oil depot some 500 kilometers (310 miles) away in the southern Krasnodar region was also hit—part of what Kyiv calls its "long-range sanctions."

The attack came just a day after President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, dismissed any prospect of direct talks with Zelensky, saying there was "no point" in meeting him. The forum, designed to attract foreign investment, drew thousands of guests from 130 countries, including a low-key U.S. delegation. Zelensky had earlier called for a ceasefire and face-to-face negotiations, writing in an open letter that it would be "wrong to simply wait" for the conflict to regain Washington’s attention.

Putin reiterated his position that a truce would only allow Ukraine to regroup, and that he would only end the war once Russia’s goals are met—namely, Ukraine’s withdrawal from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, and abandonment of its NATO ambitions. Ukraine has refused to cede territory, arguing that concessions would invite future invasion.

The strikes also disrupted Russian logistics in occupied Ukraine. In the Russia-controlled Luhansk region, Moscow-backed authorities suspended coach services on two motorways and banned commuter trains and group transportation for children, citing security concerns after a spate of Ukrainian drone attacks targeting supply lines. An analyst told the BBC that more than 200 lorries and over 30 fuel trucks have been hit in occupied areas since the beginning of May.

The escalation underscores Ukraine’s growing capability to strike deep inside Russia, focusing on energy infrastructure and oil facilities that fuel Moscow’s war machine. Since the war began, Kyiv has steadily developed its defense sector, now regularly hitting targets on Russian soil—a stark shift from earlier phases of the conflict.

While the immediate impact on the forum was limited, the attacks sent a clear message: Ukraine can bring the war to the heart of Russia, even as Putin projects normalcy on the world stage.