Ukraine drone attacks: WATCH: Ukrainian drones attack St. Petersburg area again; Russia claims possession of Kharkiv village
Ukraine said on Saturday its long-range drones attacked targets inside Russia overnight, including a military facility near St. Petersburg and an oil depot in the southern Krasnodar region, as the war escalated with both sides reporting fresh battlefield gains and airstrikes.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strikes targeted “an enemy naval arsenal and a base in Kronstadt” in Russia’s northwestern Saint Petersburg region, while another attack targeted an oil depot in Krasnodar, according to Reuters.In a post on“It is now time to end this war. But Russia’s rulers want to continue fighting,” Zelensky wrote, “Russia must end its war and stop its attacks on life.” “Any expression of injustice against Ukraine will receive an appropriate response.”
St. Petersburg residents told to stay indoors
The attack prompted officials in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, to advise residents not to leave their homes, highlighting Ukraine’s growing ability to strike deep inside Russian territory.St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov warned residents of a “large-scale” drone attack and possible disruption of mobile internet services.Regional governor Alexander Drozdenko said 141 drones were shot down in the surrounding Leningrad region, while Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses intercepted 376 Ukrainian drones across the country, according to news agency AP.There was no immediate report of any casualties.The latest attack follows a Ukrainian drone strike earlier this week that set fire to an oil terminal and hit a naval base near St. Petersburg.
Russia claims to have captured a village in Kharkiv
Separately, Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces had captured the settlement of Shevchenko in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region.Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported that the village had been captured after what the ministry described as a “decisive action” by units of Russia’s Northern Military Group.
Fresh attacks have been reported from both sides
The latest developments come as both Russia and Ukraine continue long-range drone campaigns while fighting on largely static fronts.One person was killed and three others were wounded in Ukraine’s Dnepropetrovsk region after overnight Russian drone and artillery attacks, according to the AP.In the Zaporizhia region, five people sought medical treatment after a parking area caught fire following a Russian drone strike.Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 272 strike drones overnight, of which 249 were intercepted.The fresh exchange came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected Ukrainian President Zelensky’s offer for a face-to-face meeting, saying he saw “no point” in such talks.