Ukraine strikes major oil terminal in Russia's St Petersburg
Ukrainian forces have attacked one of Russia's largest oil terminals in St Petersburg, as well as a key naval base of the Russian Baltic Fleet in Kronstadt.
Attack on St Petersburg
On Saturday morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian strikes hit targets in St Petersburg and the surrounding region, about 850 km (528 miles) from Ukraine's border. Zelensky posted a video showing a drone approaching a target and a huge column of black smoke after the strike.
BBC later verified that St Petersburg's oil terminal was hit. Ukraine's military described it as "one of the largest" in Russia, with a capacity of 12.5 million tonnes of petroleum products per year.
The military also said that a key naval base of the Russian Baltic Fleet in Kronstadt was struck. Russia has not publicly commented on these claims.
Russian response
St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said that 72 Ukrainian drones were shot down over the city and the wider Leningrad region. He urged residents to stay indoors until the drone threat was lifted and warned of possible mobile internet disruptions. More than five million people live in St Petersburg.
Situation in Kostyantynivka
In a separate development, Ukraine's military denied that the key eastern Ukrainian town of Kostyantynivka was under full Russian control. Military spokesman Major Andriy Kovalyov told the BBC that "Kostyantynivka remains under the control of the Defence Forces of Ukraine." He admitted there were "cases of infiltration by small infantry groups deep into the combat formations of our forces," but added that those groups were being identified and destroyed.
His comments came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russian control had been established over Kostyantynivka in June. The Kremlin leader provided no evidence to back his claim.
Zelensky later wrote on Telegram: "If Kostyantynivka is now under Russian control, then Putin will probably have no problem meeting me there and finding diplomatic solutions to finally end the war. But still, he will not cross the front line: the truth is very different from Putin's words."
Kostyantynivka is one of several heavily-fortified towns that make up Ukraine's "fortress belt" in the Donetsk region, most of which is occupied by Russia.
