Ukrainian drone strikes set oil facilities ablaze in Russia’s St Petersburg region on October 18, as Moscow reported intercepting or destroying more than 1,000 Ukrainian drones during a major aerial offensive.
The attacks targeted the Petersburg Oil Terminal and the Ruchi oil depot, triggering fires at the facilities. St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said one person was killed and five others were injured.
A logistics centre operated by Russian online retailer Ozon and a data centre belonging to technology company VK were also reportedly targeted, highlighting the expanding scope of Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign against Russian infrastructure.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defences had intercepted or destroyed 1,015 Ukrainian drones across 15 Russian regions, the Black Sea and Crimea. The figures were released by Russian authorities and could not be independently verified.
Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian oil refineries, storage depots and export terminals in an effort to disrupt the energy revenues that help finance Moscow’s military operations. Such attacks have become a key part of Kyiv’s strategy to strike infrastructure far behind the front lines.
The latest escalation also raised questions about a proposed halt to attacks on energy infrastructure. US President Donald Trump had announced an energy ceasefire arrangement on October 11, but both sides subsequently accused each other of continuing strikes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had carried out dozens of attacks on Ukraine’s energy, oil and gas infrastructure in the week following the announcement. He also reported fresh strikes on energy facilities in four Ukrainian regions, leaving thousands of households without electricity.
Kyiv said it had resumed attacks on Russian oil facilities after a three-day pause, arguing that Moscow had not reciprocated the proposed halt in energy strikes.
Meanwhile, Russian attacks on southern Ukraine continued to cause civilian casualties and damage. In Zaporizhzhia, a woman was killed and at least two other people were injured, including a six-year-old girl, according to local officials. Apartment buildings, vehicles and an educational institution were also damaged.
The continuing attacks underscore the difficulties of securing even a limited ceasefire as both countries maintain their aerial campaigns against critical infrastructure.
With oil facilities, electricity networks and logistics centres increasingly caught up in the conflict, further strikes could disrupt energy operations and essential services while complicating diplomatic efforts to end the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
