Ukraine’s drone – A Ukrainian drone strike over St. Petersburg sent a massive black cloud across the skyline, delayed flights, and disrupted mobile internet just as President Vladimir Putin was set to open his annual economic forum. The attack also targeted a naval base near th
When the black cloud rose above the St. Petersburg skyline, it carried more than fire and smoke—it set the tone for the economic message Vladimir Putin planned to deliver Thursday.
The Ukrainian drone strike. which unfolded a day earlier. also triggered a fire at an oil terminal and hit a naval base near Russia’s second-largest city on the Gulf of Finland. With Putin scheduled to arrive in his hometown for the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. the attack landed as a fresh embarrassment to his effort to cast the four-year conflict as distant and without impact on daily life.
Authorities moved quickly. Scores of flights were delayed or diverted at St. Petersburg’s airport, and cellphone internet service was cut to reduce the risk of further drone attacks. The city—where Putin was born—was supposed to be one of the most protected places in Russia. Instead, the strike made clear that deep inside Russia, even this stronghold could be reached.
The timing was hard to miss. Putin earlier scaled down Russia’s annual Victory Day parade on May 9, citing fears of Ukrainian drone attacks. Days later, a massive drone attack on Moscow’s suburbs killed three and highlighted how vulnerable the capital remained. Now St. Petersburg’s skyline is the latest stage.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov framed the response in terms of prevention, saying Russia’s forces were pressing inside Ukraine “in order to prevent such attacks” like the one in St. Petersburg. He added that “systematic” strikes on Kyiv that Russia threatened last week are underway.
On Tuesday, Russia hit Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, killing 23 and wounding 151 others.
For Putin, the forum is usually built for confidence. He has used the event to showcase Russia’s economic advances and encourage foreign investment. Styled as Russia’s version of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Switzerland. the gathering typically brings tens of thousands of delegates from around the world.
But much of the international community has stayed away since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in 2022. Russia has worked to replace that absence by attracting guests from other regions and promoting its declared goal of a “multipolar world.”
This year, Saudi Arabia is a special guest and has sent a large delegation. The presidents of Uzbekistan and Tanzania are attending, and China’s vice president will be at the forum as well. A U.S. official, Rodney Mims Cook Jr., head of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, will attend for the first time in years.
Still, the economic pitch runs against a darker backdrop. Russia’s economic outlook has clouded as the early boost from massive military spending has fizzled. To keep its budget deficit under control, the government has raised taxes and increased domestic borrowing.
Putin is expected to minimize Russia’s economic problems during his forum appearance. But the drone strike on St. Petersburg’s port—about 15 kilometers (about 9 miles) from the forum’s venue—has underlined the escalating challenges of the war it cannot fully contain.
Hours before the forum opened Wednesday. Ukrainian drones also hit the Kronstadt naval base on an island in the Gulf of Finland. Kronstadt is home of Russia’s Baltic Fleet since Peter the Great founded St. Petersburg. and even though most of the fleet has moved to Russia’s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad. the base retains symbolic weight. It includes the historic cathedral and old fortifications tied to the mythology of Russia’s naval power.
So as delegates arrive and officials prepare for speeches about investment and growth, the city that hosts the showcase is still reeling from the sense that the conflict is no longer held at arm’s length.
Ukraine drone strikes Vladimir Putin St. Petersburg International Economic Forum St. Petersburg airport delays cellphone internet cut Kronstadt naval base oil terminal fire Russian economic showcase multipolar world Russia-Ukraine war