A large fire broke out in St. Petersburg early Wednesday after Russian officials reported a mass overnight drone attack on the Leningrad region, with Russian media and Telegram channels saying the Petersburg Oil Terminal had been hit.
Alexander Drozdenko, governor of the Leningrad region, said Russian air defenses had repelled an attack involving 30 drones. Earlier, he claimed that three drones had been intercepted over the region.
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Despite official claims of interceptions, videos circulating on Russian Telegram channels showed flames and thick smoke rising from what they identified as the port area of St. Petersburg.
The independent Telegram channel Astra said it analyzed multiple eyewitness videos and concluded that the burning site was JSC Petersburg Oil Terminal, one of the largest oil handling facilities in northwestern Russia. Other Russian public channels also reported an attack on the facility.
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Authorities also activated the “Kover” security plan at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport, according to Russian media, causing flight disruptions. More than 10 outgoing flights were reportedly delayed or canceled.
Local residents reported hearing a series of loud explosions before smoke and flames became visible in the city.
Drone strike reportedly hits Tambov defense plant
Hours before the explosions in St. Petersburg, Russian Telegram channels reported another suspected drone strike deep inside Russia’s Tambov region.
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According to those reports, the Progress plant in Michurinsk was hit overnight and caught fire. The facility reportedly produces specialized control systems and equipment used in military aviation and missile technology.
Russian authorities have not confirmed the full scale of damage at the plant.
Putin’s ‘Davos’ opens under smoke
The reported attack came on the opening day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, often dubbed the “Russian Davos,” the Kremlin’s flagship annual business gathering, which Moscow uses to project economic resilience despite sanctions and growing international isolation over its war against Ukraine. The forum is scheduled for June 3–6, according to its official website.
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Kyiv’s so-called “oil sanctions” campaign has routinely targeted Russian oil terminals, refineries and fuel depots – facilities that help sustain Moscow’s war machine.