Ukrainian drones targeted military facilities and energy infrastructure in Saint Petersburg on Wednesday morning as the city hosted the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, according to Russian and Ukrainian officials.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the strikes as a “fair response” to Russian attacks and vowed to intensify such operations.
The forum, often referred to as Russia’s version of Davos, is expected to attract around 20,000 participants from 130 countries during its three-day run.
The Kremlin pledged retaliation following the attacks, which came one day after Russian missile and drone strikes reportedly killed 23 people across Ukraine.
Saint Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said several infrastructure facilities were damaged, although no fatalities were reported. Ukrainian authorities stated that the targets included the Saint Petersburg Oil Terminal and the Kronstadt military base.
An AFP correspondent reported seeing a column of black smoke rising behind the historic Peter and Paul Fortress, one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.
According to Ukraine’s drone forces commander, the attack—which temporarily forced the closure of Saint Petersburg’s main airport overnight—also struck a Russian warship at the Kronstadt naval base.
Kyiv said the operation was intended to disrupt the economic forum, where Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to deliver a keynote address on Friday.
Ukrainian Defense Ministry adviser Serhiy Sternenko remarked that the forum was opening “with beautiful clouds of black smoke in the background,” while AFP journalists at the venue confirmed seeing smoke from the conference site.
Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Zelenskyy said Ukraine was responding proportionately to deadly Russian attacks and suggested that Kyiv’s retaliatory capabilities would continue to grow.
Rutte said Ukraine had demonstrated success in targeting “some of the Russians’ core capabilities.”
Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told AFP that Russia appeared to be “panicking” following recent Ukrainian attacks.
Russian-installed authorities in Crimea later reported that a Ukrainian attack killed at least three people and injured seven others.
Russia’s “Davos” Under the Spotlight
Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, the Saint Petersburg forum has increasingly reflected Russia’s international isolation. Once attended by major Western leaders such as Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, and Shinzo Abe, the event now largely attracts representatives from countries maintaining closer ties with Moscow.
This year’s attendees include the presidents of Uzbekistan and Tanzania, along with ministers from countries such as Cuba, Belarus, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
Kremlin economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev described the gathering as a forum for “sovereign nations,” contrasting it with globalization-oriented events such as the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.
Among the notable guests expected are UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who is scheduled to participate in an environmental session, as well as several controversial Western figures, including commentator Candace Owens, actor Steven Seagal, and influencer Andrew Tate.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov promised a broad response to the Saint Petersburg attack, stating that Russia’s retaliation would be “comprehensive in nature.”
Ukraine has intensified strikes against Russian military and energy infrastructure in recent months, describing them as a justified response to Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Russian-appointed officials in occupied eastern Ukraine also reported that seven people were killed when a Ukrainian drone struck a bus traveling between Moscow and Crimea.
Russia said its air defenses intercepted 354 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple regions, including border areas and Crimea.
Meanwhile, Russian strikes reportedly killed two people in Kherson and two others in the Kharkiv Oblast region, according to Ukrainian officials.
Source: AFP.
