Ukraine launches strikes on St. Petersburg and Russian oil depots amid SPIEF
Ukrainian forces hit naval and oil facilities near St. Petersburg and a Krasnodar oil depot, while Russian air defenses focused on Moscow during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
Ukrainian troops carried out a second wave of attacks on targets around St. Petersburg as the city hosted the International Economic Forum on June 6, hitting the Kronstadt Naval Base, the Petergofskaya oil depot and a weapons depot in Bolshaya Izhora. The Ukrainian General Staff said drones reached the naval yard and the 15th Arsenal, and local authorities confirmed fires at the sites. St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov urged residents to stay indoors, marking the first such warning since the war began.
The strikes coincided with Russia’s effort to protect the forum, but geolocated footage showed an additional Pantsir‑SMD‑E anti‑drone system being installed on a high‑rise in Moscow, suggesting the Kremlin prioritized the capital’s defence. Analysts noted that Ukraine’s growing long‑range strike capability is stretching Russian air‑defence resources across a vast territory.
In the south, Ukrainian drones set fire to the Ust‑Labinsk oil depot in Krasnodar Krai, igniting three fuel tanks, according to the Security Service of Ukraine and Russian officials. The same night, Ukrainian forces attacked personnel concentrations near the border towns of Tetkino and Anatolevka in Kursk Oblast.
Satellite imagery released by Ukrainian sources showed damage to a propellant plant in Ryazan Oblast and a workshop at the Michurinsk Progress Plant in Tambov Oblast, confirming recent strikes on Russian defence‑industrial facilities.
The Ukrainian General Staff reported 183 combat engagements on June 6, with Russian forces launching 46 airstrikes, 6,064 kamikaze drones and over 2,400 other attacks. Ukrainian units repelled multiple attempts to advance across several fronts, claiming dozens of enemy casualties and the destruction of drones, artillery and vehicles.
Fuel shortages in occupied Crimea prompted long queues on the Kerch Bridge and at stations in Krasnodar Krai, where drivers from the peninsula sought gasoline. Authorities limited sales to 20‑liter allotments for coupon holders, and similar restrictions were reported in other Russian regions, including Tatarstan, Belgorod and Leningrad oblasts.
In occupied Luhansk, the separatist administration banned civilian traffic on the M‑14 and R‑150 highways and halted commuter trains, citing increased Ukrainian mid‑range strikes that have disrupted major ground lines of communication.
"The strikes demonstrate that Russia cannot reliably defend its major cities during prominent international events," a Ukrainian military spokesperson said.
"We continue to expand our strike reach, bringing the war closer to Russian territory," another official added.
These developments highlight a shift in the conflict, with Ukraine intensifying long‑range operations while Russia grapples with protecting both its political centers and critical infrastructure.
