Ukrainian drones strike St. Petersburg as Putin hosts international summit

Ukrainian drones struck targets in St. Petersburg while Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted an international summit in the city.

The operation targeted military and infrastructure sites in Russia's second-largest city, according to Ukrainian officials. Russia's military confirmed that air defense systems responded to drone activity over the region.

The timing coincided with Putin's opening of a major international gathering in St. Petersburg, an event Russian officials had promoted as a display of diplomatic engagement.

Ukraine's drone strike followed a period of intense Russian aerial bombardment. Over recent weeks, Russian forces conducted sustained air campaigns against Ukrainian military positions, civilian infrastructure and energy facilities across the country. Ukrainian officials reported significant damage to power grids and other infrastructure from the Russian operations.

Neither Ukrainian nor Russian officials released casualty figures or damage assessments from the St. Petersburg attack. Independent verification of the operation's scope and impact remained unavailable.

The strike underscored the ongoing military conflict between Ukraine and Russia, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Both sides have conducted long-range attacks on enemy territory throughout the war. Ukraine has employed drone technology to target Russian military installations, command centers and logistical hubs. Russia has used cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and glide bombs against Ukrainian targets.

The international summit in St. Petersburg marked one of Putin's few public appearances in a major Russian city since Western countries imposed sanctions following the invasion. Russian state media focused coverage on the summit's diplomatic agenda while acknowledging the drone activity.