Smoke rises above the city following an air attack on the oil terminal in Saint Petersburg on October 18, 2026, amid the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict. (Photo by AFP)
Moscow: Russian air defense forces intercepted over 1,000 Ukrainian drones overnight during an attack across multiple regions from Saturday night into Sunday morning, according to statements released by the Russian Defense Ministry.
The ministry said Ukrainian drones were shot down over Russia's Belgorod, Bryansk, Leningrad and Moscow regions, as well as over the Black Sea. TASS news agency described the drone assault as one of the largest strikes this year.
Russia's second-largest city, St. Petersburg, was hit by a drone attack in the early hours of Sunday, leaving one person dead and five others injured, said St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov.
Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency said take-offs and landings were suspended at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, with passengers and staff evacuated to safe zones.
Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko wrote on social media that 144 drones were shot down across the region on Sunday morning. Falling drone debris damaged an apartment block, a private house and power lines, triggering power outages in some local areas.
The ministry added that the Russian armed forces kept targeting Ukrainian logistics hubs, ports and vessels. A logistics center used for storing and distributing drone components and other goods was damaged. Separately, Russian forces struck a dry-cargo ship carrying dual-use goods 30 km east of the port of Odessa.
