St. Petersburg hit by drone attacks targeting refinery and naval base

Ukraine launched drone attacks against a refinery and Russian naval vessels near St. Petersburg, an event one Ukrainian commentator derided as "a fireworks display specifically for the forum guests." The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, often called "Russian Davos," was underway as smoke billowed from the targeted refinery, part of the largest oil terminal on the Baltic Sea.

The attack on the refinery carries both economic and propaganda weight. Russian President Vladimir Putin was forced to address his guests amidst the visible impact of the strike. Simultaneously, Ukrainian military officials highlighted a more significant strike on a Russian naval base in Kronstadt, approximately 20 kilometers into the Gulf of Finland. Drones reportedly hit the Russian corvette "Bojkij," which was in dry dock, and possibly another vessel docked nearby.

While the strike on the naval base holds primarily propaganda value for Kyiv, as ships from Kronstadt cannot reach the Black Sea due to Turkey's closure of the Turkish Straits to military vessels, it likely holds real strategic importance for NATO. The attack reduces the Kremlin's naval capabilities in the Baltic Sea.

These strikes on St. Petersburg are widely seen as retaliation for recent Russian mass bombings of Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, which resulted in over 20 deaths. However, planning such air attacks takes considerable time, involving factors like air defense layouts and weather conditions. Meanwhile, events unfolding over the Sea of Azov, particularly Ukrainian strikes on Russian transport routes like the road from Taganrog to Crimea, are considered more decisive for the war's trajectory. These sustained attacks have disrupted commercial vehicle traffic, including crucial fuel tankers, with drivers reportedly fearing the intensified drone attacks and increased prices.

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A fireworks display specifically for the forum guests