Long-Range Drone Strike
Ukrainian Drones Strike Russian Naval Base and Military Facilities Near St. Petersburg
Ukraine launched a massive overnight drone assault on June 5–6, sending strikes roughly 1,000 kilometers deep into Russia to hit naval arsenals and the Kronstadt naval base near St. Petersburg, according to CNN. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the operation on X, writing: "Last night, our drones covered a distance of about 1,000 kilometers... It is time to end this war. But Russia's ruler wants to keep fighting."
The strikes hit during the final day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum — often called "Putin's Davos" — a prestige event meant to project Russian stability. On the same night, Russia launched 272 drones at Ukraine, of which 249 were intercepted, according to KRDO.
Kronstadt Naval Base Hit for First Time in This War
Ukrainian drones struck the Kronstadt naval base, home of Russia's Baltic Fleet, marking the first significant attack on that facility since the full-scale invasion began, according to KTVZ. A Russian corvette, the Boikiy, was set ablaze while in dry dock. Zelensky called the strikes "long-range sanctions" — Ukraine physically destroying the military assets Russia uses to wage war.
Ukrainian Special Operations Forces coordinated the assault alongside the Unmanned Systems Forces and the SBU intelligence agency. Separately, the Leningrad Oblast governor reported that 88 drones were engaged over the region and confirmed a fire at a Defense Ministry facility in the Lomonosovsky district.
St. Petersburg Left Rattled: Fires, Internet Blackouts, Airport Halted
St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov urged residents to "remain in their homes and not go outside" during what he called a "large-scale" raid. Three people were injured. The city's mobile internet was shut down city-wide — likely to disrupt drone navigation — drawing over 3,000 public complaints in a single day, according to CNN.
Pulkovo Airport briefly suspended flights. Black smoke from the struck St. Petersburg Oil Terminal — which handles 12.5 million tons of crude per year — was visible to attendees at Putin's economic forum. Analysts say successful strikes on Russian oil infrastructure have contributed to a 16% drop in the country's refining capacity.
Putin Admits Drones "Break Through" as Forum Becomes PR Disaster
President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the strikes during SPIEF, saying: "To our regret, some of them break through... we need to improve [air defense], and we will do that," according to KRDO. On June 5, Putin had also rejected Zelensky's offer for direct peace talks, saying he saw "no sense" in a meeting.
Western analysts called the timing a symbolic blow. Smoke rising over St. Petersburg while Putin hosted global business leaders signaled that the Kremlin is struggling to keep the war contained far from Russian cities. The Atlantic Council described it as Putin "losing control" of the war's domestic narrative.
Russia Hits Ukraine Back Hard: 272 Drones Overnight
Russia did not hold back on the same night. It launched 272 drones into Ukraine, one of the larger single-night barrages of the war. Ukraine's air force intercepted 249 of them — a 91.5% interception rate — according to CNN. The dual-exchange underlines how both sides are now regularly striking deep into each other's territory.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed it shot down 376 Ukrainian drones over the same period, and said 141 were destroyed over the Leningrad region alone. The competing claims reflect each side's effort to control the narrative around drone warfare, now a central feature of this conflict.
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