Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack targeting St. Petersburg and its surrounding region on Saturday. This marked the second such attack on Russia's second-largest city in less than a week, occurring on the final day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
The barrage came hours after President Vladimir Putin spoke at the investment forum and rejected a call for peace talks from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In response to the attack, Governor Alexander Beglov advised residents to remain indoors. The strikes disrupted airport operations for several hours and set a defense ministry facility ablaze, although authorities reported no major damage.
Russia's defense ministry reported that drones were downed over 16 different areas and regions, including Crimea. President Putin had previously stated on Thursday that Russia would bolster its air defenses to counter recent drone attacks. Meanwhile, Russia continued its own strikes on Ukraine, with regional authorities reporting at least 12 civilians killed and over 70 injured over the past day.