Ukrainian drones struck two oil facilities in St Petersburg in an overnight attack that killed at least one person and injured five, as Kyiv resumed strikes on Russian energy infrastructure despite a US-brokered ceasefire push.
At least one person was killed and five injured in an overnight drone attack on St Petersburg that hit two of the city's oil facilities, along with a logistics centre and a data centre.
Governor Alexander Beglov said fires were being extinguished at the St Petersburg Oil Terminal and the Ruchyi oil depot. He reported damage to 12 apartment buildings and two homes, and said Pulkovo Airport was temporarily closed and mobile internet disruption was possible.
Online retailer Ozon, known as Russia's answer to Amazon, confirmed a drone had hit its local logistics centre, sparking a fire. It said staff were evacuated, no one was injured, and it was not accepting shipments from the location. Social network VK confirmed a drone had targeted its regional data centre, but said its services were available as usual after users reported early-morning outages.
Kyiv has not commented on the strikes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had targeted Ukraine's energy sector 76 times since US President Donald Trump declared an "energy ceasefire" last week. Ukraine paused its own strikes on Russian oil facilities for three days after the announcement, accusing Russia of continuing its attacks, then resumed strikes earlier this week. The move drew Trump's ire, as he pushed for a truce to facilitate a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to supply diesel to the United States, where energy prices have soared during the war in Iran ahead of midterm elections.
Zelensky has suggested the deal amounts to the US investing in Russia's war effort. Trump's decision to suspend a raft of sanctions against Russia has drawn criticism from some Republicans. On Sunday, Zelensky said he had spoken with Trump's negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, and that their teams were preparing the next diplomatic steps.
Russia's defence ministry said it had shot down more than 1,000 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory overnight. Moscow says it strikes targets used by Ukraine's military. The UN noted that the first two weeks of October were the deadliest for Ukrainian civilians in years, and Russian strikes on energy infrastructure have left hundreds of thousands without power as winter approaches.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Both sides are escalating strikes on energy infrastructure ahead of winter, with Russian attacks leaving hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians without power and October already the deadliest month for civilians in years.
- The attack on St Petersburg, Russia's second city, shows Ukraine can strike far beyond the front lines, targeting the oil revenue Moscow uses to fund the war.
- Washington is caught in the middle: a US deal to import Russian diesel has frayed relations with Kyiv and drawn criticism from some Republicans.
Background
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine is in its fifth year, and both sides have increasingly struck each other's energy infrastructure, particularly ahead of winter when heating and power demand rises. Ukraine says hitting Russian oil facilities is meant to cut the main revenue stream funding Moscow's war effort.
The recent US move to import Russian diesel, part of an effort to bring down American energy prices during the war in Iran, has altered the diplomatic picture. Trump declared an "energy ceasefire," suspended a raft of sanctions, and pressed for a truce. Ukraine paused its strikes on Russian oil facilities for three days after the announcement, accusing Russia of continuing its own attacks on Ukraine's grid, before resuming strikes this week.
Key Perspectives
Ukraine: Kyiv says its strikes target the main revenue stream for Russia's war effort. It paused attacks on oil facilities for three days after the US ceasefire declaration, but accused Russia of continuing to strike its energy sector and resumed strikes, with Zelensky suggesting the US diesel deal amounts to investing in Russia's war effort.
Russia: Moscow frames its own strikes as hitting targets used by Ukraine's military, and its defence ministry reported shooting down more than 1,000 Ukrainian drones in a single night. Regional officials are managing damage and restoring services in St Petersburg.
The United States: Trump wants a truce to facilitate the diesel supply deal with Putin and suspended sanctions on Russia, drawing criticism from some Republicans. His negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner remain in contact with Kyiv, with both teams preparing next diplomatic steps.
What to Watch
- Whether Kyiv formally comments on the St Petersburg strikes and whether further attacks on Russian cities follow.
- Whether the Witkoff-Kushner channel with Zelensky can restore an energy ceasefire before winter worsens the humanitarian situation.
- The scale of continued Russian strikes on Ukraine's grid, after 76 hits on the energy sector since the ceasefire call and tens of thousands still without power.