Ukraine strikes St. Petersburg oil terminal and Baltic port in large-scale drone attack, fuel shortages spread across Russia

Overnight strikes

Ukrainian drones struck an oil terminal in St. Petersburg and the Baltic port of Vysotsk in the early hours of Saturday, Russian officials said. Explosions were heard around 06:30 local time, and social media footage showed columns of black smoke and flames rising from the port area. St. Petersburg governor Aleksandr Beglov described the operation as a "large-scale" drone attack on the city of six million, but said there were no casualties. The oil terminal is one of Russia's largest fuel storage and export facilities, handling oil, grain, coal and liquefied natural gas.

The city was targeted by a large-scale drone attack.

Air defense response

Leningrad region governor Aleksandr Drozdenko said drones also hit the port of Vysotsk, about 170 km northwest of St. Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland. He reported that air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 72 drones across the region. South of St. Petersburg, the governor of Pskov region said more than 30 drones were shot down overnight, with damage and injuries reported at a factory in the town of Velikie Luki.

72 drones were shot down across the entire Leningrad region.

Energy infrastructure under pressure

The attack is the latest in a sustained Ukrainian campaign against Russian energy infrastructure that has gathered pace since March. More than 50 strikes on oil refineries and other facilities have been reported, according to analysts. Chris Weafer, CEO of consultancy Macro-Advisory, estimated that one-third of Russia's refining capacity has been shut down. The damage is lasting and costly to repair. A major refinery in Moscow was hit twice, with the second strike on 18 June causing a fire that damaged essential equipment; repairs are expected to last until the end of the year.

An estimated one-third of Russia's refining capacity has been shut down.

The effects are spreading. In Novorossiysk, Russia's largest Black Sea port, petrol has run out completely at filling stations, with only a handful of the city's 33 stations still selling fuel. Crimea, occupied since 2014, declared a state of emergency on 26 June amid power cuts, food shortages and fuel rationing that includes a ban on petrol sales to civilians.

Putin acknowledges shortages

President Vladimir Putin acknowledged "a certain shortage" of fuel in a speech to the United Russia party on 28 June, but dismissed the attacks as an attempt by Ukraine to distract from battlefield losses. He described the situation as "non-critical" and rejected ceasefire proposals, insisting the war would continue until its objectives are met. Analysts say the fuel crisis is more severe than the Kremlin admits, with all Russian regions now reporting shortages and knock-on delays in food and goods deliveries.

Attacks on our infrastructure sites create problems.

Retaliatory strikes

Russia responded with a heavy overnight barrage on Kyiv on 1 July, using drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. At least 30 people were killed in what was one of the deadliest attacks on the Ukrainian capital since the full-scale invasion began. The exchange of strikes underscores the deepening tit-for-tat dynamic as both sides target each other's economic and civilian infrastructure far from the front lines.