Massive Ukrainian Drone Assault Repelled Near St. Petersburg, Hundreds Evacuated

St. Petersburg, June 2026: Russian air defence systems intercepted a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack targeting the Leningrad region and areas around St. Petersburg, with authorities claiming that 144 drones were shot down during the assault. The attack caused fires, minor damage to buildings and injuries to several people, but officials said major infrastructure damage was avoided.

Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko said air defence units successfully neutralised the drones as they approached the region. Although no large-scale destruction was reported, debris from the intercepted drones fell across several districts, damaging residential properties and other structures.

One of the most serious incidents occurred in the Lomonosovsky district, where falling drone fragments sparked a fire at a facility belonging to the Russian Defence Ministry. Emergency services responded quickly to contain the blaze, while authorities established a security zone around the site.

According to regional officials, more than 600 residents were evacuated from nearby areas as a precautionary measure. Four people required medical attention following the incident. One individual was hospitalised, while three others, including a child, were treated at the scene and later discharged.

Drozdenko later confirmed that firefighters had successfully extinguished the blaze and completed emergency recovery operations at the affected facility.

Separately, St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov reported that three people sustained minor injuries during the drone attack on the city. All of them received medical treatment and were subsequently released from hospital.

The latest strike represents the second major drone offensive targeting St. Petersburg and the surrounding Leningrad region since the start of the ongoing St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, one of Russia’s most important economic gatherings, which concludes on Saturday.

Elsewhere, another Ukrainian drone attack reportedly triggered a fire at an oil depot in the town of Ust-Labinsk in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai. Local authorities evacuated 60 residents living near the facility, though no casualties were reported.

The Russian Defence Ministry said air defence systems intercepted and destroyed a total of 376 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles overnight across multiple Russian regions, making it one of the largest drone attacks reported in recent months.

Residents in both St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region reported hearing loud sonic booms and explosions from early Saturday morning, believed to be linked to air defence operations.

The latest escalation comes amid continuing tensions between Moscow and Kyiv. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed calls for direct talks aimed at ending the conflict. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated that a face-to-face meeting with the Ukrainian leader was not currently under consideration, highlighting the ongoing diplomatic deadlock as the war continues.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)