Moscow, Oct 18: Ukrainian forces launched one of their largest-ever drone attacks on Russia on Sunday, targeting more than 1,000 drones across multiple regions and setting fire to oil facilities in St Petersburg, Russian officials said.
One person was killed and five others were injured after strikes triggered fires at the Petersburg Oil Terminal and the Ruchi oil depot, St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said.
A logistics centre operated by Russian retailer Ozon and a data centre belonging to technology company VK were also targeted, according to the companies.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces destroyed 1,015 Ukrainian drones over 15 Russian regions, as well as over Crimea and the Black Sea.
The strikes came amid renewed tensions between Kyiv and Washington, with US President Donald Trump criticising Ukraine over attacks on Russian oil infrastructure.
The latest escalation also follows Trump’s announcement on October 11 that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an “energy ceasefire”. However, both sides have since accused each other of continuing attacks on energy-related facilities.
Ukraine confirmed Thursday that it had resumed strikes on Russian oil infrastructure following a three-day pause.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that Russia had carried out 76 attacks on Ukraine’s energy, oil and gas sectors in the week since Trump announced the proposed energy ceasefire.
Zelenskyy said energy facilities in four Ukrainian regions were targeted overnight, leaving tens of thousands of households without electricity. He accused Russia of seeking to cause widespread power outages.
“America should see that Russia is not taking any reciprocal steps in response to sanctions relief or agreements,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X, arguing that Moscow viewed such developments as an opportunity to continue the war.
Meanwhile, Russian strikes on the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia killed a woman and injured at least two other people, including a six-year-old girl, Ukrainian officials said.
The attacks damaged two apartment buildings, 18 vehicles and an educational institution, according to Mykhailo Semikin, head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration.
The latest exchanges come as the Russia-Ukraine war continues, with both sides intensifying attacks on energy and oil infrastructure despite calls for a halt to such strikes.
