Ukrainian drone attacks on St. Petersburg overshadow Putin's economic forum

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attacks as a "good result" of the joint work of drone units from various branches of the military and intelligence services. A weapons factory in the Russian region of Tambov, about 600 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, was hit; the targets in St. Petersburg are even almost 1,100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Zelenskyy said that Ukraine had thus once again proven that no Russian city was safe from its attacks. He reiterated that the attacks strengthened Ukraine's negotiating position: "The Ukrainian plan for long-range sanctions is being implemented exactly as necessary to bring peace closer," Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian attack on St. Petersburg was the second major attack on a Russian metropolis within a few weeks. Ukraine had already attacked the Russian capital during the Victory Parade at the end of the war on May 8. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia, in turn, launched 198 long-range drones at Ukraine that same night, of which air defenses neutralized 189. In the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, an 86-year-old woman was killed and five other people were injured by Russian attacks.

Heavy Russian Attacks on Ukraine

On Tuesday, the day before the forum opened, Russia had massively attacked Ukraine. The Ukrainian Air Force announced that Russia had deployed 73 missiles and 656 drones. According to its own statements, 40 missiles and 602 drones were intercepted. According to Ukrainian authorities, at least 22 people were killed and more than 100 others injured in the heaviest Russian air raids of recent weeks; other sources reported 138 wounded.

In the city of Dnipro, at least 16 deaths were reported, including three children. A hit on a 24-story residential building caused it to be partially destroyed, and at least six people lost their lives there. In the region in the northwest of the country, according to Leningrad Governor Alexander Drosdenko, 59 drones were shot down. In view of the ongoing attacks, the authorities in the border region of Kharkiv ordered the evacuation of more than 7,000 people.

The region of Donetsk, annexed by Russia, was also the target of Ukrainian attacks on Wednesday. According to Russian reports, seven people were killed and eleven injured in a drone attack in the Russian-controlled part of the Donetsk region. The occupation authorities also reported more than 20 civilian deaths in a dormitory in Starobilsk and introduced rationing in Luhansk: gasoline and diesel can only be sold in quantities of up to 20 liters per person for the time being.

Symbolic Timing

Meanwhile, the symbolism of the attack on St. Petersburg struck deep on the Ukrainian side. The forum is scheduled to last until Saturday and this year's theme is "Pragmatic Dialogue: The Path to a Stable Future." The fact that drones descended on Putin's hometown just hours before the opening made the event, according to many observers, a symbol of Russian vulnerability. The timing and location were chosen so that the 2026 Economic Forum would also carry this significance, it was said.

The Kremlin immediately announced retaliation. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced "systematic responses." Subsequently, the Kremlin declared its intention to systematically attack armament facilities and "decision-making centers" in Kyiv and urged diplomats to leave the city. The Kremlin also stated that the attack on St. Petersburg confirmed its assessment of Ukraine's course in the war.

International Reactions and Criticism

Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte traveled to Kyiv on Wednesday, accompanied by the North Atlantic Council. The state-owned Ukrainian railway company Ukrzalisnyzia stated: "We are pleased to welcome NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at Kyiv Central Station today." Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated: "We are ready to defend the alliance territory." Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul emphasized that Russia's reckless behavior threatens collective security.

Federal Interior Minister Josef Henrichmann criticized the participation of AfD politicians in the Petersburg Forum on ARD television as "naive" and "stupid." He stated that "Russian secret services tend to mingle at such events, dock on, and want cheap information." He added that the AfD was making itself a "cheap tool of Putin." His party colleague Jürgen Hardt, foreign policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, also criticized the participation of German companies. He argued that initiating business in Russia undermines the effort to maintain economic pressure on Russia and thus runs counter to the interests of German and European foreign policy. "This is not patriotic, but self-willed," Hardt said on ARD's Morgenmagazin.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin confirmed a visit by former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder to Moscow. At the same time, circles within the German government stated: "A window for talks on the European side with Russia is slowly opening." However, the talks are likely to take months, not weeks. "There is much to suggest that the E3 will continue to play an important role in this." The E3 refers to Germany, Great Britain, and France.

Search for a Negotiation Window

Zelenskyy expressed regret over the long wait for US negotiators: "Unfortunately, we are in the queue of these wars." At the same time, he continued to advocate for Ukraine's drone strategy as a means of pressure: attacks in the Russian hinterland are part of Ukraine's plan for so-called long-range sanctions. The Ukrainian Navy announced that a hit had caused a major fire on board the corvette "Boikiy."

In the air war, Russia remains superior to Ukraine according to general assessment, even though Ukraine now possesses drones capable of penetrating over 1,000 kilometers deep into Russian territory. In the last 48 hours, Ukraine counted 22 dead and 130 injured from Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure. The Russian armed forces announced that they had intercepted 754 Ukrainian drones within one day.

The news was broadcast on Deutschlandfunk on May 30, 2026. Meanwhile, the economic symbolism of the forum remains clouded. In better times, 20,000 DAX board members, heads of state, and business leaders would mingle in Putin's hometown for three days. This year, the list of high-ranking participants was shorter: although an official US delegation was expected, it was said, albeit led by a rather obscure US official named Rodney Mims Cook Jr., chairman of the "Commission of Fine Arts." Equally important is the pretense of "business as usual" on a stylish international stage, while 1,000 kilometers to the south, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine rages on.