A major fire broke out at an oil terminal in Russia’s St Petersburg port following a Ukrainian long-range drone attack on Tuesday night. Explosions reportedly continued into the early morning hours and the blaze spread further. Numerous videos circulating online captured loud blasts, large flames and thick columns of black smoke rising from the facility. Oil storage tanks within the terminal were reported to be burning.
At approximately 6 am local time, Leningrad region governor Alexander Drozdenko announced via Telegram that 30 drones had been shot down over the region, though he made no reference to the fire at the port.
Residents reported hearing a series of explosions before smoke and flames became visible across the city, according to local media reports. Media additionally reported flight disruptions at Pulkovo Airport. Russian authorities have not confirmed the full extent of damage at the terminal.
The affected facility, JSC St. Petersburg Oil Terminal, is the largest oil handling complex in northwestern Russia. Spanning 37 hectares, it comprises 21 storage tanks for light and heavy petroleum products and has an annual handling capacity of 12.5 million metric tons. The terminal holds strategic designation within Russia's national security framework and has been listed in the country's register of natural monopolies since 2000.
The attack coincided with the opening of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, commonly referred to as the “Russian Davos,” scheduled to run from June 3 to June 6 with Russian President
Putin in attendance.
Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported multiple drones intercepted over the capital, while a separate suspected drone strike was reported at the Progress defense industry plant in Russia's Tambov region. These attacks followed Russia's large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukraine the previous day, which targeted Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro.
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