Zelensky Confirms Ukrainian Drones Hit St Petersburg Oil Terminal During Putin Economic Forum
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Wednesday that Ukrainian long-range drones struck an oil terminal in St Petersburg overnight, setting it ablaze on the opening day of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026 hosted in the city by President Vladimir Putin. The strike is calibrated for maximum diplomatic embarrassment of the Kremlin during its flagship annual economic-diplomatic event. The drones flew approximately 1,000 km to reach the target.
The St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) is the Kremlin’s flagship annual economic-diplomatic event, designed to showcase Russian openness to foreign investment despite Western sanctions. A Ukrainian drone strike on the host city’s oil terminal during the forum is calibrated for maximum embarrassment and indicates Ukrainian intelligence-led targeting of high-prestige Russian events. Ukrainian deep-strike operations against Russian refining and storage infrastructure have measurably affected Russian fuel availability through 2026. The strike follows the weekend hits on the Saratov Oil Refinery, a Caspian military base and a Rosneft refinery, plus Monday’s strike on a Russian brigade that committed war crimes in Bucha.