Ukrainian Drones Strike St. Petersburg Port, Spark Fire

WHO:

The Guardian - Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attacks.

The Guardian - Alexander Beglov is the governor of St Petersburg.

The Guardian - Alexander Drozdenko is the governor of the Leningrad region.

The Guardian - Russian president Vladimir Putin commented on the strikes.

WHAT:

NY Post - Ukrainian drones attacked St Petersburg, targeting the oil terminal and port infrastructure.

The Guardian - A total of 72 drones were shot down over the Leningrad region.

The Guardian - Zelenskyy stated that the attacks were part of Ukraine’s “long-range sanctions” against Russia.

The Guardian - Zelenskyy claimed the strikes targeted port oil infrastructure that generates revenue for Russia’s war.

The Guardian - The Russian military reported that drone strikes killed one person in Bryansk and one in Crimea.

WHERE:

NY Post - The attacks occurred in St Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city.

The Guardian - Vysotsk port is located about 170km (105 miles) north-west of St Petersburg on the Baltic Sea.

The Guardian - Kronstadt is identified as an important military target near St Petersburg.

WHY:

NY Post - The attacks are part of a 40-day “pressure campaign” authorized by Zelenskyy to force Putin to end the war.

HOW:

The Guardian - Ukraine utilized long-range drone strikes to target Russian infrastructure.

(UPDATED July 4, 2026 23:15 UTC)

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy described recent drone attacks on St Petersburg, which targeted key oil terminal and port infrastructure, as part of a broader strategy to impose "long-range sanctions" against Russia. The Russian military reported that these strikes resulted in one death in Bryansk and another in Crimea, while a total of 72 drones were shot down over the Leningrad region. This operation is part of a 40-day "pressure campaign" authorized by Zelenskyy to compel President Putin to end the ongoing conflict.