Massive Ukrainian drone raid sparks fires and explosions in St. Petersburg
Ukrainian drones launched a large-scale attack on St. Petersburg early on Oct. 18, triggering multiple explosions and fires across the city.
At roughly 2:50 a.m. on Oct. 18, Ukrainian monitoring outlets Exilenova+ and Supernova+ reported a massive drone barrage against St. Petersburg, a city of 5.6 million people. Video from locals shows drones in flight and the city’s air-defence systems engaging them, while bright explosions illuminate the night sky. Leningrad Oblast Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko announced that 57 drones were shot down, with wreckage striking a parking lot and sparking a fire that damaged four cars.
The attackers reportedly focused on the port area, oil tankers and a data centre, leading to several large fires. The St. Petersburg Oil Terminal, one of Russia’s biggest fuel export hubs, was among the alleged targets, though the extent of any damage could not be independently confirmed. This follows previous drone strikes on the city, including a July 4 attack on the same oil terminal.
Why it matters
The raid shows Ukraine’s ability to strike deep inside Russia, threatening critical energy infrastructure.
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