Two people have died and at least 17 others sustained injuries as Russia and Ukraine exchanged strikes on power infrastructure, following the collapse of a unilaterally declared energy ceasefire. The renewed aerial bombardments hit multiple oil depots, industrial facilities, and residential zones across both countries.
St Petersburg Oil Terminals and Datacentres Hit by Drones
An overnight bombardment involving more than 1,000 Ukrainian drones targeted Russian oil depots, logistics facilities, and datacentres, resulting in one fatality and 15 injuries in Russia. St Petersburg’s governor, Alexander Beglov, reported that fires broke out at the city’s oil terminal, an oil depot, and industrial warehouses. Logistics firm Ozon and tech company VK confirmed that their logistics centre and datacentre were respectively targeted during the raid.
In the surrounding Leningrad region, the governor, Alexander Drozdenko, stated that 145 drones had been shot down, leaving roughly 20,000 residents without electricity. The Russian defence ministry claimed its air defence units had downed 1,015 Ukrainian drones nationwide overnight.
Zaporizhzhia Residential Strikes Kill a Woman
Simultaneously, Russian attacks in the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia killed a woman and wounded at least two other individuals, including a six-year-old girl. Mykhailo Semikin, the head of the Zaporizhzhia regional military administration, confirmed that the strikes damaged two apartment buildings, 18 cars, and an educational institution.
Before the newest swarm of drones, Moscow carried out attacks directed at Kryvyi Rih—home to Ukraine’s biggest steelworks—and ships operating out of the port of Odesa. In an official release, the Russian defence ministry stated that its troops also struck a power substation located in Zhytomyr and an additional steel facility in Zaporizhzhia. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted via social media that Russia attacked energy, oil, and gas sectors 76 times within a week following the ceasefire announcement.
Trump Pauses US Sanctions Package as Tensions Mount
In Washington, the US president placed a hold on a sweeping new economic sanctions package targeting Russia, telling Congress that the pause on the legislation was in the national interest. Trump had previously announced an “energy ceasefire” last week, which quickly collapsed as Moscow continued striking Ukraine’s power grid and Kyiv resumed operations against Russian oil refineries.
Zelenskyy criticized the international response, stating that Moscow interprets any signal of opportunity to make money as proof that their bet on war is paying off. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the Tass news agency that Russia was responding with systematic, large-scale strikes, asserting that the Kyiv regime cannot change the course of events.
Lithuanian Airspace Alert Scrambles NATO Jets
Fears of the conflict spreading into Nato’s borders escalated when Lithuania instructed residents in central and northern regions to seek shelter for about an hour after an unidentified flying object entered its airspace. Nato fighter jets scrambled to the area, and Kaunas airport was temporarily closed, according to the national crisis management centre.
Obscuring clouds prevented Nato pilots from making a visual identification of the craft, and they made no move to fire upon it. Ukraine’s foreign ministry later expressed regret over the possible diversion of its drones into Lithuanian airspace, attributing the trajectory deviation to Russian electronic warfare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the US president pause the US sanctions package against Russia?
The US president informed Congress that halting the sweeping economic sanctions was in the national interest, though he has yet to give details about what he has decided regarding further sanctions.
How many drones did Ukraine launch in the raid?
Ukrainian forces utilized more than 1,000 drones in total during the aerial bombardment, with 145 drones shot down over the Leningrad region.
Why did Nato fighter jets fail to identify the flying object over Lithuania?
Nato aircraft were scrambled to the area and Kaunas airport was temporarily closed, but the aircraft were unable to visually identify the object due to cloudy weather and did not attempt to shoot it down.
Related reading