Ukraine has initiated a major drone assault on Russia's second-most populous city, as Kyiv His capacity to penetrate deeply into Russia keeps increasing.
The governor of St. Petersburg, Alexander Beglov, urged citizens to stay indoors and cautioned about potential interruptions in mobile internet connectivity after the air strikes occurred on Saturday.
The regional governor, Alexander Drozdenko, stated that 141 drones were destroyed in the area around the Leningrad region.
The Russian Defense Department reported that its aerial defense systems destroyed 376 Ukrainian unmanned aircraft.
Even though no injuries were quickly announced, the latest assault on Saint Petersburg deals another setback to the Russian president. Vladimir Putin Their attempts to portray the conflict as an unrelated occurrence that has no impact on everyday Russian life.
The assault on Saturday comes after a Ukrainian drone attack ignited an oil terminal in the city and targeted a neighboring navy base on Wednesday, just hours ahead of the commencement of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, an event where Putin highlights opportunities for investment each year.
At the conference, Putin stated on Thursday that Russia will enhance its aerial defense systems to address ongoing Ukrainian drone strikes, which have penetrated far into his nation and created concerns during the gathering held in his hometown of Saint Petersburg.
As the frontline remains largely static due to waves of drones preventing progress, each side has tried to gain advantage through long-distance attacks.
In Ukraine, a single individual lost their life and three others sustained injuries during the night in the Dnipropetrovsk area, according to Regional Head Oleksandr Hanzha, who reported that Russian forces attacked three neighborhoods almost 30 times using drones and artillery on Saturday.
Five individuals received medical attention following a Russian drone attack that ignited a blaze at a parking lot in Zaporizhzhia, as reported by regional leader Ivan Fedorov.
Russian forces attacked Ukraine during the night using 272 drone strikes, according to the Ukrainian Air Force, which reported that defenses intercepted 249 of them on Saturday.
Recent assaults occurred one day following Putin's dismissal of a suggestion from Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky for an in-person discussion regarding the ongoing four-year conflict, with Putin stating he finds "no value" in such a meeting.
The letter released on Thursday marked the initial official communication from Zelensky to Putin since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. It contained an extensive evaluation of Putin's two-and-a-half-decade rule, along with remarks concerning his advanced age.
At the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin referred to Zelensky's public letter suggesting a meeting as 'rude'.
Is this meant to facilitate personal meetings and discussions, or does it create an atmosphere where such encounters become unfeasible?" Putin asked during a Q&A segment at his yearly Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum. "I believe it's the latter.
Putin mentioned that a Russian entrepreneur, whose identity was not disclosed, visited Kyiv last month and had a discussion with Zelensky about his proposal for a private meeting.
Nevertheless, Putin stated that he currently does not see any value in holding such a meeting, particularly following a drone strike carried out by Ukraine on a university residence hall in the Russia-occupied Luhansk area on May 22, which Moscow claimed resulted in 21 deaths and injured many more.
Regarding Zelensky's comments on his own age and extended time in office, the 73-year-old Putin highlighted other world figures who are older, stating, "The key factor isn't age; it's the capacity to perform duties."
He additionally ridiculed Zelensky's challenging encounter at the White House in 2025 and expressed gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump for "informing" Zelensky "in front of everyone," as well as instructing him on appropriate attire.
"There remains much work to be accomplished," he stated.
Earlier, Putin proposed that Zelensky visit Moscow for discussions, which the Ukrainian president firmly turned down. Last month, Putin mentioned he isn't ruling out a meeting in another nation, but solely if there is an agreement to finalize.
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