Authorities in St Petersburg and Leningrad region report attacks on energy infrastructure as Kyiv intensifies strikes on Russian targets
Authorities in Russia’s second city of St Petersburg and the surrounding Leningrad region said on Saturday that a local port and oil infrastructure were struck in a major Ukrainian drone attack overnight.
St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said the city of 6 million had come under a “large-scale” drone attack, with the city’s oil terminal struck. He said there were no casualties and that the aftermath of the attack had been dealt with.
Port of Vysotsk hit
Leningrad region Governor Alexander Drozdenko said drones had struck the port of Vysotsk, about 170 km (105 miles) northwest of St Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland. The port handles oil, grain, coal and liquefied natural gas.
Drozdenko said 72 drones had been shot down over the Leningrad region.
Ukraine’s strategy
Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russian energy infrastructure this year, causing fuel shortages in parts of Russia. St Petersburg, about 900 km (560 miles) from Ukrainian-held territory, has occasionally come under attack from Kyiv’s drones. Targets have included the city’s oil terminal and a moored warship during the St Petersburg International Economic Forum in June.
Other regions affected
South of St Petersburg, the governor of Pskov region said more than 30 drones had been shot down overnight. He reported minor damage and injuries, including to a factory in the town of Velikiye Luki.
