St. Petersburg, Russia — June 3, 2026 Ukraine carried out a large-scale drone offensive targeting multiple regions across Russia, including St. Petersburg and Moscow, as the country hosted a major international economic forum often referred to as “Putin’s Davos.”
Russian authorities said air defenses intercepted and destroyed more than 350 Ukrainian drones overnight, with attacks reported in areas near the border as well as deep inside Russian territory, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Novgorod.
According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, at least 60 drones were detected over the Leningrad region alone.
St. Petersburg hit during high-profile economic event
Regional officials in St. Petersburg confirmed that three districts of the city were targeted in the overnight assault. Governor Aleksandr Beglov said the strikes caused injuries and damaged infrastructure in the city, which is currently hosting the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), a high-profile gathering of global business and political figures.
The forum is widely viewed as Russia’s equivalent of Davos and is closely associated with President Vladimir Putin.
Infrastructure and oil facilities targeted
Ukrainian forces reportedly focused on strategic infrastructure, including oil and military-related sites. Among the targets was the St. Petersburg oil terminal, described by Ukrainian officials as one of the largest fuel transshipment hubs in northwestern Russia.
Ukraine’s military leadership said the terminal plays a key role in Russian fuel exports and logistics operations.
Additional strikes were reported near the Kronstadt naval base, an island military facility close to St. Petersburg, as well as a weapons-related site in Russia’s Tambov region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the long-range operations were producing “positive results,” adding that the attacks were aimed at key military and economic targets.
Footage shared by Ukrainian authorities showed explosions and large fires at several impacted sites.
Casualties reported in western Russia
In the Smolensk region near the Belarus border, local authorities said drone debris sparked fires that killed two firefighters and injured three other people, including one civilian.
Escalation in long-range drone warfare
The strikes come amid a growing Ukrainian campaign targeting Russian energy infrastructure and military logistics deep inside the country. Over recent months, Ukraine has increasingly deployed long-range drones against oil facilities and strategic installations far from the front lines.
Officials in Kyiv say the strategy is intended to weaken Russia’s military supply chains and pressure its war economy.
SPIEF begins under tight security
Despite the attacks, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum opened as scheduled on Wednesday. Russian state media reported that around 20,000 participants from more than 100 countries are expected to attend.
Aides to President Putin said he is scheduled to deliver a major address later this week.
Among the attendees are several controversial international figures, including political commentators and social media personalities, though their exact participation in the forum remains unclear.
The attacks mark one of the most significant escalations in Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign, coinciding with one of Russia’s most prominent international economic events.
