One person died and five were injured in St. Petersburg in a massive drone strike from Ukraine last night. This was reported by the governor of the Leningrad region.
According to independent Russian media Astra, the VKontakte data center and the Vostochnaya electricity substation were also attacked, causing a partial blackout in the city.
“A criminal case has been opened for a terrorist act in connection with attacks on civilian infrastructure in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region,” said Svetlana Petrenko, spokeswoman for the Russian Investigative Committee.
The Russian Defense Ministry, quoted by Tass, reported that anti-aircraft fire shot down 1,015 Ukrainian drones in various regions of the country, including 144 in the St. Petersburg area and the surrounding Leningrad region.
Overnight, Russia launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 180 attack drones against Ukraine, 152 of which were neutralized by Ukrainian defenses. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the Kiev Air Force.
"Many of you don't know what my decision is yet, but we'll find out, and you will find out too. It's a great decision: it will be a positive choice for the country and, I think, for the world, since we are truly on a global stage." Thus Donald Trump when asked for clarification on the freezing of the application of the new sanctions on Russia provided for by the Graham Act, based on his executive order signed on Friday evening.
And the NYT reveals a US proposal: Europe should buy more gas from Russia as an element to move closer to peace. The EU reiterates its support for Kiev: "We are working on the 22nd package of sanctions".
"The American channel will continue. We count on the United States to put more pressure on Putin and not on us. Otherwise it is simply unfair," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, responding to a question from Corriere della Sera. Although relations between the two allies are increasingly tense, a meeting, the newspaper reports, could take place as early as next week.
"The American channel will continue. We count on the United States to put more pressure on Putin and not on us. Otherwise it is simply unfair." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this, responding to a question from Corriere della Sera. Although relations between the two allies are increasingly tense, a meeting, the newspaper reports, could take place as early as next week: "The American side has given us a signal" and "if they want to meet us in America, they should invite us. We will be ready".
"We are ready for any format: three, two, four, five or more, it doesn't matter. What matters is peace", Zelensky stated again, saying that the suspension of sanctions is "wrong", it is a "reward to the aggressor" and certainly not a way to stop Vladimir Putin who is now "happy" to receive such support.
In conclusion, the Ukrainian president returns to ask that the Europeans build "their own infrastructure and their own channel of negotiation with Russia" because, he says, "we must take every possible path to stop the war".
Russian air defense forces shot down 126 Ukrainian drones in the Leningrad region, which surrounds St. Petersburg, where an oil terminal was hit and operations at Pulkovo airport were limited. The local authorities reported this.
The governor of the Leningrad region, Alexander Drozdenko, said on Telegram that a "large-scale attack" with unmanned aerial vehicles was being repelled. Debris from the drones fell on homes, cars and power lines, causing brief power outages. No injuries were reported.
St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said the attack sparked a fire at the city's oil terminal, which was hit by Ukraine in June.
Air defense systems went into operation, while Pulkovo International Airport introduced restrictions on operations "for security reasons". The Russian news agency Tass also reported disruption to departures.
Russian social network VK also reported that the attack targeted one of its data centers in the region, saying the facility continues to operate normally.
