Ukraine launches massive drone attack on Russia as tensions with U.S. rise
The strikes hit an oil terminal in St. Petersburg, killing one person, as Kyiv resumed attacks after a brief pause.
Explainer
Ukrainian attacks set an oil export terminal ablaze in St. Petersburg on Sunday as Kyiv launched more than 1,000 drones across Russia in one of its largest aerial bombardments of the war.
The strikes came amid deepening tensions between Ukraine and Washington, with U.S. President Donald Trump criticizing Kyiv for its attacks on Russian oil infrastructure.
READ MORE: Zelenskyy says Russia is violating Trump's announced energy ceasefire
READ MORE: Carney thanks Trump for Ukraine energy ceasefire but slams U.S. diesel deal with Russia
One person was killed and five more were wounded in the St. Petersburg attack, which sparked fires at both the Petersburg Oil Terminal and the city’s Ruchi oil depot, said local Gov. Alexander Beglov.
A logistics centre belonging to Russian retailer Ozon and a data centre for local tech giant VK were also targeted, both companies confirmed.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said Sunday that its forces had destroyed 1,015 Ukrainian drones over 15 Russian regions, as well as the annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and the Black Sea.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian state news agency Tass that Kyiv was “resisting” Moscow’s invasion, but that Ukraine could not “change the current course of events.”
What happened in the Russian attacks on Ukraine?
Meanwhile, a woman died and at least two other people were wounded, including a 6-year-old girl, after Russia launched two attacks on the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, local officials said Sunday.
Two apartment buildings, 18 cars and an educational institution were damaged as a result of the attack, head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration Mykhailo Semikin said.
What did Zelenskyy say about the ‘energy ceasefire’?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had attacked Ukraine’s energy, oil and gas sectors 76 times in the week since Trump announced an “energy ceasefire” on Oct. 11.
He wrote on X Sunday that energy facilities in four Ukrainian regions were struck overnight, leaving tens of thousands of families without power, and accused Russia of trying to cause a blackout.
“America should see that Russia is not taking any reciprocal steps in response to sanctions relief or agreements. On the contrary, they take every signal of an opportunity to make money as proof that their bet on war is paying off and they can keep fighting,” he wrote.
Zelenskyy also stressed that the war was continuing due to Russia’s invasion, not because Ukraine was defending itself.
“It is Russia that must face pressure for peace to have a chance. Thank you to everyone who understands this and helps,” he wrote.
The Ukrainian government initially said it was heeding the ceasefire but confirmed Thursday it had resumed attacks on Russian oil after a three-day hiatus.
What is the status of U.S. sanctions on Russia?
Trump told reporters Saturday that they do not know what his decision is yet regarding further sanctions on Russia, despite signing an executive order Friday night waiving planned restrictions, citing U.S. national interest.
“We’ll figure it out, and you’ll figure it out. But it’s a very good decision, and it’s going to be a decision that’s good for the country, and I think good for the world,” Trump said at a fundraising dinner at his Florida estate.
Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Zelenskyy said waiving sanctions against Russia would strengthen Putin’s war effort.
He also said U.S.-Ukraine intelligence sharing had resumed after being “blocked for some period of time.”
Zelenskyy said that while he trusted Trump, siding with Moscow would be a tragedy and a “historic mistake” for Washington.
“People want to forget what's going on. But we can't give this possibility to forget, or to change reality, or to change the truth,” Zelenskyy said. “We can't compare me and Putin. He's [the] aggressor. He occupied us. He killed adults and children, his soldiers. He's a terrorist. And that's why I hope that President Trump will be very clear with this position.”
Did a Ukrainian drone enter Lithuanian airspace?
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi apologized in a statement Sunday after a drone flew into Lithuania’s airspace, prompting authorities to issue an air raid warning.
Tykhyi said the incident may have resulted from Russian electronic diversion of drones during an operation against legitimate military targets in Russia.
Lithuanian authorities warned residents in two northern counties along the Latvian border to take cover due to a possible drone incursion early Sunday, public broadcaster LRT reported.
A drone flew into Lithuania’s northern Pasvalys region, damaging a moving car, the broadcaster said, citing Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre. There were no injuries.
With files from CityNews, CBC News and Washington Examiner