Ukraine launches over 1,000 drones at Russia, setting oil facilities ablaze | Drone Strikes News
At least one person was killed and five others injured following a major drone strike launched by Ukraine against Russia, marking one of the largest aerial assaults of the ongoing conflict.
St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov reported that firefighters were responding to blazes caused by the strikes on Sunday, which targeted the St. Petersburg oil terminal, the Ruchi oil depot, and industrial warehouses in the Kolpinsky district, situated to the south of the city.
The governor characterized the assault as “massive,” confirming that one fatality occurred alongside the injuries. He also noted that several residential buildings and two houses sustained damage from the strikes. The attack prompted operational restrictions at St. Petersburg’s main airport, one of the busiest in the country, due to safety concerns.
Russian e-commerce company Ozon reported a fire at its logistics hub in St. Petersburg. Additionally, the internet company VK revealed that drones targeted its data center in the broader Leningrad region but assured users that normal services remained operational.
Leningrad Governor Alexander Drozdenko announced that Russian defenses successfully shot down 145 drones during the operation. Power outages impacted approximately 20,000 residents in the aftermath of the drone attack.
The Russian Ministry of Defence reported that 1,015 Ukrainian drones were neutralized overnight across 15 Russian regions, including Crimea and the Black Sea.
The drone assaults coincided with rising tensions between Kyiv and Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, suggesting that further U.S. sanctions against Moscow remain uncertain. In a weekend social media post, Trump defended his recent decision to postpone new sanctions, arguing that such actions would adversely affect ongoing negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict.
Trump also directed criticism at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, contending that Zelenskyy’s military actions demonstrate a reluctance to pursue peace. Trump previously announced an “energy ceasefire” in discussions with Russia and Ukraine on October 11, but Zelenskyy quickly expressed skepticism regarding the agreement.
Zelenskyy reported that Russian forces had attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure 76 times in the week following Trump’s announcement. He asserted that these strikes left numerous families without power, accusing Russia of deliberately attempting to cause widespread blackouts.
During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Zelenskyy emphasized that easing sanctions on Russia would only strengthen President Vladimir Putin’s military efforts. He further stated that U.S.-Ukraine intelligence sharing had resumed following a brief suspension.
In a separate development, a Russian airstrike killed a woman in Kyiv overnight, damaging a subway station and a 25-story residential building, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. The strike also injured three other individuals.
In Zaporizhzhia, two attacks attributed to Russian forces resulted in the death of a woman and injuries to at least two others, including a six-year-old girl. Additionally, Zelenskyy reported casualties from Russian strikes in Volyn, including two killed and twelve injured, among them two children.
Zelenskyy detailed that over the past week, Russian forces launched nearly 2,700 attack drones, 1,700 aerial bombs, and 66 missiles, the majority of which were ballistic.
