Drone strikes hit St Petersburg oil terminal and VK data centre

Ukrainian drones hit the St Petersburg oil terminal and a VK data centre in the Leningrad region overnight into Sunday. Russian media described the incident as one of the most extensive attacks on the area since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Officials in the Leningrad region reported that drone debris struck homes in Gatchina and other districts, resulting in one death and 15 injuries. Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko stated that 144 drones were intercepted over the region, and that the strikes set fires and damaged 55 vehicles.

The attacks caused emergency power cuts, leaving 50 apartment blocks and approximately 20,000 people without electricity as two transformer substations in Yanino remained offline. St Petersburg governor Aleksandr Beglov said fires broke out at civilian facilities and on the oil terminal grounds, though preliminary reports indicated no casualties in the city.

The targeted oil terminal processes 1.1 million tonnes of fuel monthly and uses four berths for tankers and sea-going vessels. The VK press office acknowledged the strike on its data centre but said the company’s services remained operational for users.