Christine Drews Sieger
Ukraine launched strategic strikes deep inside Russia as the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum got underway.
Ukraine has recently attacked Russia with a new drone strike deep inside the country.
The targets were strategic and included a major oil terminal in St. Petersburg and a military factory in the Tambov region.
The timing of the attacks was not coincidental, as they took place while the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum was getting underway.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was expected to speak at the event, which was being held just 17 kilometers from the targeted terminal, Digi24 reports.
Close to Putin Forum
The operation was carried out by Ukraine’s security and defense forces and targeted facilities described as being important to Russia’s war effort.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the significance of the attack on social media:
“Our long-range strikes, carried out by personnel from Ukraine’s Security Service, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Special Operations Forces, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, and the State Border Guard Service, have produced good results,” he wrote, according to AFP, cited by Digi24.
Fears of Escalation
Ukraine has made significant advances in its military capabilities and has therefore been able to strike targets deep inside Russia.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Wednesday that these developments could have major implications for a further escalation of the war.
He also noted that the risk of escalation was greater than it had been two years earlier, Digi24 reports.
Growing Drone War
The use of drones has become an increasingly important element of the war.
According to an analysis by ABC News, Ukrainian drone attacks against Russia reached a new level in the spring of 2026.
Russia claimed in March that it had shot down 7,347 Ukrainian drones in a single month, while Ukraine, for the first time since 2022, simultaneously sent more attack drones across the border than Russia.
Sources: Digi24, AFP, ABC News
