For the first time since the war began, Ukrainian drone strikes have reached the streets of St Petersburg. The attack coincided with the opening of Putin's flagship economic forum, the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), a gathering designed to project normalcy and resilience. Instead, it projected vulnerability.
Sources within UK defence intelligence confirm that multiple explosive-laden drones struck targets in the city's outskirts early this morning. One hit a fuel depot on the eastern edge of the city. Another targeted a logistics hub near the port. Three people were reported injured. The Kremlin's spin machine immediately labelled it 'a terrorist provocation doomed to fail.' But the symbolism is impossible to ignore.
St Petersburg is Putin's hometown. The economic forum is his pet project, a showcase for sanctioned Russia. Drones over the Neva are a direct message: there is no safe space.
UK defence analysts are alarmed. The strike represents a significant escalation in Ukraine's deep-strike capability. The distance from Ukrainian-controlled territory to St Petersburg is over 800 kilometres. To hit that with drones of domestic manufacture, likely aided by Western components, signals a new phase in the war. One analyst described it as 'a paradigm shift in Ukrainian strategic reach.'
The timing is deliberate. As Putin prepared to parade before foreign investors and allies, the reality of war came to his doorstep. The forum's opening session, where Putin was due to deliver a keynote on economic sovereignty, began with a moment of silence. For what or whom, was not stated.
This is not the first Ukrainian attack on Russian soil. But St Petersburg is not Belgorod or Rostov. It is the symbolic heart of imperial Russia. Hitting it changes the calculus for the Kremlin. Air defence systems, already stretched thin, will have to be redeployed. The message to the Russian elite is clear: you are not immune.
Western intelligence suggests Ukraine has been developing longer-range drones for months. The St Petersburg strike confirms those programmes are operational. The question now is what else is in the pipeline. Moscow is 700 kilometres from Ukraine's border. The Kremlin is no longer out of range.
The economic forum itself underscores the broader tension. While Putin talks of self-reliance, sanctions are biting. The rouble is volatile. Oil revenues have dropped. The war is draining resources. And now the city hosting his show is under attack.
There is no official confirmation from Kyiv. But Ukraine's pattern of silence before significant operations suggests this was a coordinated effort. Military sources indicate the drones were launched from within Ukraine, not from sabotage teams inside Russia. That requires advanced navigation and precision. It also requires risking assets on a high-profile target.
The UK's alarm reflects deeper concerns about escalation. If Ukraine can hit St Petersburg, it can hit Moscow. And if it does, the Kremlin's response is unpredictable. Some analysts fear a threshold being crossed, potentially triggering a retaliatory strike against Kyiv's infrastructure. Others argue that Putin has already crossed every threshold, and the only language he understands is force.
For now, the immediate aftermath is chaos in St Petersburg. Flights were temporarily grounded. Residents were told to stay indoors. The forum's security was visibly tightened. But the damage is already done: the image of an invulnerable Russia has been shattered.
This story is still developing. I have seen the drone debris myself, through sources on the ground. The fragments tell a story of ingenuity and desperation. Ukraine is running out of time and resources. Every drone that reaches its target is a reminder that this war is not going according to Putin's script.
The UK defence establishment is now reassessing its own assumptions. If Ukraine can strike Russia's second city, what else can it do? And more importantly, what will Russia do next?
