Ukraine conducted one of its most extensive aerial operations of the war by deploying over 1,015 drones against Russian targets. The strikes focused on energy facilities and infrastructure near St. Petersburg, where officials reported at least one fatality, five injuries, and fires at oil terminals, industrial warehouses, and an e-commerce logistics hub. The Ministry of Defence in Russia confirmed the attacks affected 15 regions, including annexed Crimea and the Black Sea area.
Governor Alexander Beglov of St. Petersburg described the assault as large-scale while emergency services worked to control blazes at the Ruchi oil depot. The city’s main airport temporarily suspended operations for safety reasons. Meanwhile, in the Leningrad region, Governor Alexander Drozdenko stated that 145 drones were intercepted, leaving 20,000 people without electricity. The internet platform VK acknowledged a drone strike on its data center, though its operations continued without disruption.
The operation came after the collapse of an energy ceasefire arranged by U.S. President Donald Trump in October. Trump had paused new sanctions against Russia, claiming his goal was to prevent Moscow from withdrawing from negotiations. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the agreement after Russia persisted in targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure, striking power grids 76 times in the week following Trump’s announcement.
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He criticized the waiver of sanctions as a “historic error” that would empower Russian President Vladimir Putin. Intelligence cooperation between Washington and Kyiv had resumed following a period of disruption.
As the drone strikes took place, Russian forces intensified attacks across Ukraine. In Kyiv, airstrikes resulted in one civilian death, damage to a subway station, and an explosion at a 25-story residential building, which injured three others. In Zaporizhzhia, a woman was killed and two others wounded, including a six-year-old child. The Volyn region experienced strikes on agricultural sites and homes, causing two deaths and 12 injuries.
Zelenskyy disclosed that Russia had launched nearly 2,700 attack drones, 1,700 aerial bombs, and 66 missiles, primarily ballistic, against Ukraine in a single week. This surge reflects a broader pattern where both sides are probing limits amid stalled diplomatic efforts. Unlike previous ceasefire attempts, this one failed swiftly, with neither party willing to enforce restraints on their own.
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