A Ukrainian drone attack targeting oil facilities, logistics hubs, and data centers in Russia’s St Petersburg and the surrounding Leningrad region resulted in one fatality and 15 injuries, local authorities reported on October 18. The assault caused fires at key infrastructure sites, including the St Petersburg oil terminal, an oil depot, and several industrial warehouses, according to St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov.

Among the affected locations was the logistics hub of Russian e-commerce company Ozon, which experienced a fire during the attack. Additionally, VK, a major Russian internet company, confirmed that its data center in the Leningrad region was targeted, though it assured users that services remained operational.

Ukrainian drone manufacturer Fire Point claimed responsibility for striking the VK data center near St Petersburg, indicating Ukrainian military involvement in the operation. Meanwhile, the Russian Defence Ministry stated that its air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 1,015 Ukrainian drones over various Russian regions overnight, underscoring the scale of the ongoing drone conflict.

Russian officials characterized their response to Ukrainian attacks as continuous and systematic, involving large-scale retaliatory strikes. The recent drone offensive reflects the intensifying use of unmanned aerial vehicles in the conflict, which has placed critical civilian and industrial infrastructure at heightened risk on both sides.