Drone Attack on Saint Petersburg and Surrounding Area – 67 Missiles Intercepted over the Region

In the surrounding area of the city, Governor Alexander Drozdenko reported that Russian air defenses had shot down 67 enemy drones. A total of 389 Ukrainian combat drones were intercepted nationwide during the night, according to Russian sources. Russian air defense had previously spoken of 72 unmanned aerial vehicles being intercepted.

The major city of Saint Petersburg is located more than 1,000 kilometers from Ukraine. Russia has been attacking Ukraine almost daily with missiles and drones since the beginning of its offensive in February 2022. The attacks now carried out on Saint Petersburg occurred after heavy Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv during the same week, which, according to Ukrainian figures, killed 30 people.

Fire at the Port of Vysotsk

A fire was reported from the port of the small town of Vysotsk, located around 170 kilometers to the northwest, on the Gulf of Finland. The local media outlet "Bumaga" reported a fire at the city's oil terminal. The port is located approximately 170 kilometers northwest of Saint Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland and handles oil, grain, coal, and liquefied natural gas.

In southeastern Ukraine, three people were killed in the Dnipropetrovsk region – including two near Nikopol – during more than 50 attacks with drones, artillery, and bombs. In the city of Zaporizhzhia itself, two more people were killed and 21 injured in further attacks, according to the local Governor Ivan Fedorov.

Counterattacks in Ukraine

At least four people were killed and 27 others injured in a Russian bombing raid on the center of the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy. No specific information was available at the time of reporting regarding Peterhof, a large 18th-century palace and park complex near Saint Petersburg.

A day of mourning was observed in the capital Kyiv on Friday after at least 30 people were killed on Thursday in the most consequential Russian attack on the metropolis so far this year. The total number of fatalities following the massive Russian airstrike on Kyiv on Thursday was reported as 30.

The attacks took place against the backdrop of a Russian invasion of Ukraine that has lasted for nearly four and a half years. According to both Russian and international reports, Russia attacks Ukraine almost daily with missiles and drones, also hitting civilian targets and infrastructure.

Range of Ukrainian Drones

International observers interpret the attacks on Russia's hinterland – including the Baltic Sea ports through which Russia exports its oil – as a sign of the range of Ukrainian drone operations. While the greater Saint Petersburg area had not been attacked with comparable intensity since the summer of 2022, current reports indicate an escalation.

Diplomatic efforts are running parallel to the military confrontations. A minimum funding of 70 billion euros per year from international sources is planned for the coming two years. No concrete progress in negotiations was mentioned in the available reports.

In the morning report of the Ukrainian General Staff, it was stated that fighting continued in the small town of Vysotsk, formerly home to 67,000 inhabitants. The reports left open the extent to which the port's infrastructure had been damaged.

Observers point out that Vysotsk and the nearby port on the Gulf of Finland play a central role for Russia in the export of oil, grain, coal, and liquefied natural gas. A fire at an oil terminal therefore has immediate economic significance and can have regional implications for energy supply.

Sources and Open Questions

The reports were broadcast on July 4, 2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program. Independent bodies did not comment on the reliability of the Russian figures regarding intercepted drones. The Russian leadership had previously published multiple reports of air defense successes that were qualified by the Ukrainian side.

According to the available reports, unusually high drone activity was recorded in the skies over the greater Saint Petersburg area and the surrounding region. Governor Drozdenko spoke of 67 drones shot down, while Russian air defense reported 389 intercepted missiles nationwide.

The overall situation is characterized by mutual airstrikes: Russia attacks targets in Ukraine, and Ukraine responds with drone attacks on Russian hinterland. The city of Saint Petersburg, with its six million inhabitants, is Russia's second-largest city and is particularly important in political and symbolic terms.

Security experts are observing a shift in the attack strategies of both sides. While Russian missile and bomb attacks continue to target Ukrainian major cities such as Kyiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine is increasingly deploying long-range drones against infrastructure and industrial sites in the Russian hinterland.

Concrete information on casualties and damage in Saint Petersburg itself was not available by the morning of July 4, 2026. No details were initially released regarding possible consequences for the region's energy infrastructure. The reports indicated that the attacks had occurred in the early morning hours.