Ukraine Launches Major Drone Attack on Putin's Hometown, Targets Oil Industry
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Ukraine targeted Vladimir Putin’s hometown of St. Petersburg as part of a barrage of 1,000 drones — one of the biggest attacks on Russia’s oil industry all year.
The Petersburg Oil Terminal and the city’s Ruchi oil depot were engulfed in fires as part of defiant attacks after Ukraine rejected President Trump’s energy cease-fire.
At least one person was killed and five others wounded in the attack on the oil facilities, regional Gov. Alexander Beglov said.
The bombardment also targeted a logistics center belonging to Russian retailer Ozon, as well as a data center for the VK local tech giant, both companies confirmed.
Russian strongman Putin grew up and was educated in St. Petersburg (then Leginingrad), and served as a deputy to the mayor in the 1990s.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed its forces destroyed 1,015 Ukrainian drones over 15 Russian regions, including in annexed Crimea and in the Black Sea.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the bombardment was evidence that Ukraine continues to “resist” the Russian invasion, but he warned such attacks would have no luck in changing “the current course of events.”
The Kremlin has maintained that it will win the war despite suffering some of its most heaviest losses this year, a point Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky echoed as he vowed to keep the attacks coming.
“The trend this year continues – since the start of fall, our warriors have liberated more territory than the Russians have managed to capture,” Zelensky said on Sunday.
“Our front is strong, and I thank every warrior and every one of our units that is carrying out its tasks in full,” he added.
The Ukrainian president also reiterated that attacks would continue against Russian oil facilities despite Trump’s call for an energy cease-fire as he pushed for a US deal to buy Moscow’s diesel.
Since the president announced the cease-fire, Russia has fired more than 76 attacks on Ukrainian energy, oil and gas facilities, Zelensky said.
“America should see that Russia is not taking any reciprocal steps in response to sanctions relief or agreements,” the Ukrainian president said. “On the contrary, they take every signal of an opportunity to make money as proof that their bet on war is paying off and they can keep fighting.”
War analysts have repeatedly warned that Russia would pummel Ukraine’s energy sector ahead in the fall to force Kyiv to make major concessions or face yet another brutal winter.
Trump has defended the cease-fire and diesel deal with Russia, with the president signing an executive order on Friday to waive planned restrictions against Moscow, citing US national interest.
“We’ll figure it out, and you’ll figure it out. But it’s a very good decision, and it’s going to be a decision that’s good for the country, and I think good for the world,” Trump said on Saturday.
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