A Russian oil terminal has caught fire after a Ukrainian drone was struck down over St Petersburg, local sources have claimed.
The attack was conducted by an aircraft carrying 3kg of high explosives targeting the oil terminal, a Russian-appointed official in south-eastern Ukraine said.
Russian Governor Alexander Beglov reported on social media that there were no casualties and that an investigation was underway.
Local sources on the Telegram social media platform said that debris from the drone fell between fuel tankers.
Russian oil terminal fire: Huge explosion after Ukraine drone attack (not pictured)
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Upon impact, the drone reportedly exploded, causing a fire with a burning area of 130 square metres.
Vladimir Rogov, a Russian official in Zaporizhzhia, earlier said that Kyiv had tried and failed to target a Russian Baltic Sea oil terminal with a drone overnight.
He also confirmed that there were no casualties but also stated that there had been no damage.
The St Petersburg terminal is Russia’s largest oil export facility on the Baltic Sea.
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Vladimir Putin visiting the oil terminal in March 2012
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Kyiv is yet to publicly comment on Putin’s claims.
However, if true, it would be the first time a Ukrainian drone has targeted Leningrad, Vladamir Putin’s home region, since the war began in February 2022.
“The geography of UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] strikes by the Ukrainian Armed Forces continues to expand,” one Russian official noted.
A Ukrainian military source said told Reuters that the attack was part of a “new phase” of offensive efforts in the region.
The drone reportedly attacked an oil terminal in St Petersburg
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The source has not yet been verified.
"There are confirmed hits. This is a new stage of work in this region," the Ukrainian source said.
Russia also said that they destroyed 10 Ukrainian missiles heading for the city of Belgorod, approximately 40km north of the border with Ukraine.
A woman was reportedly wounded in the assault due to falling shrapnel, whilst electricity lines were damaged, Vyacheslav Gladkov, the city’s governor, said.
