Ukrainian drones target St Petersburg after Putin rejects Zelensky’s offer
St Petersburg residents told to remain at home as the attack underscores Kyiv’s growing ability to hit deep inside Russia
Residents of St Petersburg were told not to leave their homes after a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack targeted Russia’s second-largest city Saturday morning, underscoring Kyiv’s growing ability to hit deep inside Russia.
The attack came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin refused an offer to meet his Ukrainian counterpart.
St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov advised the residents not to go outside and warned of possible disruptions to mobile internet service, while regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko said 141 drones were shot down over the surrounding Leningrad region.
Russia’s defence ministry said its air defences shot down 376 Ukrainian drones.
“Last night, our drones covered a distance of about 1,000 kilometres to the St Petersburg region – to the enemy navy’s arsenals and a base in Kronstadt,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on social media.
Although no casualties were immediately reported, the renewed attack on St Petersburg is the latest embarrassing blow to Putin’s efforts to cast the conflict as a distant event that does not affect Russian daily life.