Ukraine said on Saturday its long-range drones struck targets deep inside Russia overnight, including a military installation near St. Petersburg and an oil depot in the southern Krasnodar region, as the war continued to escalate and both sides reported new battlefield gains and airstrikes.Ukrainian President Zelensky said the attack targeted “enemy naval arsenals and a base in Kronstadt” in Russia’s northwestern St. Petersburg region, while another hit an oil depot in Krasnodar, Reuters reported.Zelensky posted on X that the Ukrainian drone flew about 1,000 kilometers to the St. Petersburg area and flew about 500 kilometers to attack the target in Krasnodar.“It is time to end this war. But Russia’s rulers want to continue fighting,” Zelensky wrote, adding, “Russia must end the war and stop the attack on life.” Any injustice against Ukraine will be met with a just response. “
St. Petersburg residents told to stay indoors
The attack prompted authorities in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, to advise residents not to leave their homes, underscoring Ukraine’s growing ability to penetrate deep into Russian territory.St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov warned residents that “massive” drone strikes could disrupt mobile internet services.Regional governor Alexander Drozdenko said 141 drones were shot down around Leningrad, while the Russian Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses intercepted 376 Ukrainian drones across the country, the Associated Press reported.There were no immediate reports of injuries.The latest attacks come after Ukrainian drones targeted an oil terminal and a naval base near St. Petersburg earlier this week.
Russia claims capture of Kharkiv village
Separately, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that Russian troops occupied the Shevchenko settlement in the Kharkov region of northeastern Ukraine.Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti reported that the village was captured after “decisive action” by Russia’s Northern Military Group.
Both sides reported new attacks
The latest developments come as both Russia and Ukraine continue to conduct long-range drone operations while operating along largely stationary front lines.According to the Associated Press, Russian drones and artillery attacked the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine overnight, killing one person and injuring three others.In the Zaporozhye region, a Russian drone strike caused a fire in a parking lot and sent five people seeking medical attention.The Ukrainian Air Force stated that Russia launched 272 attack drones at night, of which 249 were intercepted.A day earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected an offer from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to hold face-to-face talks, saying he considered such talks “pointless.”
