At least one person was killed in a night‑time attack on St. Petersburg as Ukrainian drones struck two of the city’s key oil facilities, officials said.
Governor Alexander Beglov confirmed the Shell at the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal was set ablaze, while a nearby oil depot, referred to locally as Ruchyi, also caught fire. Firefighters worked under heavy smoke to contain the flames, and the blaze was eventually brought under control.
In addition to the oil sites, the strike hit a logistics centre run by Russia’s Amazon, Ozon, and a data centre operated by the VKontakte social network. Ozon reported an evacuation of staff and that it would not accept new shipments until the site was safe again.
The attack came amid a broader Ukrainian campaign designed to disable Russian energy assets and weaken Moscow’s war budget. The Kyiv administration has not yet given an official response to the latest strikes, while President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russian forces have already targeted the country’s energy sector 76 times since a recently announced “energy ceasefire.”
Russia’s defence ministry said it intercepted more than 1,000 drones over its territory during the incident, and denied direct involvement of NATO partners in supporting the strike. The governor also reported damage to 12 apartment blocks and two private houses, and the temporary closure of Pulkovo Airport.
The strike reignites concerns that high‑profile Russian assets could become increasingly vulnerable as the conflict nears its second winter, with both sides expected to focus on strategic industries. The Russian government insists that it strikes only military targets used by Ukraine, whereas the UN has flagged the broader impact on civilians, noting that thousands lack power after consecutive raids on energy infrastructure.
