Ukrainian forces launched a large wave of drones early Saturday as the Saint Petersburg economic forum ended, prompting Russian air defences to intercept 376 UAVs across many regions. Over 140 drones were reportedly downed near Saint Petersburg; debris killed one person in Tver and an oil depot in Ust-Labinsk caught fire. The attacks followed President Putin's refusal to meet Volodymyr Zelensky, who called the strikes a 'just response.' Russian strikes inside Ukraine also caused further casualties.
Hundreds Of Drones Strike Russia Near Saint Petersburg As Economic Forum Concludes
The attacks came on the final day of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (OLGA MALTSEVA)(OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP/AFP)
Early on Saturday, Ukrainian forces launched a large wave of unmanned aerial vehicles that Russian officials say struck targets inside Russia as the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) drew to a close.
The Russian defence ministry reported that its air defences intercepted 376 drones over multiple regions and seas, including Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga, Kursk, Leningrad, Novgorod, Oryol, Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tver and Tula regions, the Moscow region, the Republic of Crimea, the Republic of Abkhazia, and above the Azov and Black Seas. Leningrad region authorities said more than 140 drones were shot down there alone.
Saint Petersburg governor Alexander Beglov issued a rare instruction for residents to stay indoors during the assault. He later said that air defences prevented major damage and that three people with minor injuries had been discharged from hospital.
Local officials reported a fire at an oil depot in the southern town of Ust-Labinsk, and debris from drone wreckage killed a man in the western Tver region. Russian sources attributed the strikes to Ukrainian forces; Kyiv described the operation as a response to ongoing Russian attacks.
Political Context
The strikes came a day after President Vladimir Putin declined a request by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a meeting. Speaking at SPIEF, Putin said he saw no point in meeting Zelensky until a possible peace deal had been negotiated. Zelensky called the refusal 'choosing war again' and described the drone operation as a 'just response' to Russian aggression.
"It is time to end this war. But Russia's ruler wants to keep fighting," Zelensky wrote on X, adding that any further aggression toward Ukraine would receive a proportional response.
Fighting Continues On Both Sides
Russian forces also continued strikes inside Ukraine early Saturday. Authorities in Zaporizhzhia reported finding the bodies of two men after an attack, while the Dnipropetrovsk regional governor, Oleksandr Ganzha, said drone and artillery strikes killed one person and wounded three others.
The conflict, which escalated with Russia's February 2022 offensive, has caused large-scale destruction across eastern and southern Ukraine and displaced millions of people. Both sides have increasingly used drones in recent months as diplomatic efforts to halt the fighting have stalled.
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