Ukraine hit the main oil terminal in St. Petersburg, Russia

Ukraine has struck a major oil terminal in Russia’s second city, St. Petersburg, and other targets in the country’s northwest.

President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote in a post on social media that “Ukraine’s defense forces hit port oil infrastructure that provides Russian war revenue.” It also said it had hit an “important military target” in nearby Kronstadt.

Alexander Beglov, the governor of St. Petersburg, said the city was under “massive” drone attacks and acknowledged the oil terminal had been hit. He also announced that there was no harm to human life.

In recent months, Ukraine has stepped up long-range airstrikes against Russia’s critical energy infrastructure, causing fuel shortages in several regions.

Zelensky, in a post on Saturday morning, said the targets in and around St Petersburg were 850 km (528 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The extent of the damage is still unclear, but a video posted by Ukraine’s president shows a drone flying toward the target and a huge column of black smoke rising from the area after the strike.

The BBC later confirmed that the St Petersburg oil terminal had been hit.

The Ukrainian military terminal is one of the largest in Russia, capable of producing 12.5 million tons of petroleum products per year, he said.

The military also said that a key naval base of Russia’s Baltic fleet in Kronstadt was hit.

Russia has not officially commented on the claim.

Governor Beglov wrote in a telegram that 72 Ukrainian drones were shot down in St. Petersburg and the wider Leningrad region.

The drone urged residents to stay indoors until the drone threat is over. He warned that mobile internet service may also be disrupted.

More than five million people live in St. Petersburg.

Separately on Saturday, the Ukrainian military denied that the key eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka was fully under Russian control.

“Kostyantynivka is under the control of the Ukrainian Defense Forces,” military spokesman Major Andriy Kovalov told the BBC.

He admits that there is a situation where small groups of infantry have penetrated into the battle formations of our army; But he added that the groups are being separated and destroyed.

His comments came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in June that Russian control had been established over the city of Kostiantynivka.

Putin has not provided any evidence for his claim.

Later on Saturday, Zelensky 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 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 in the Donetsk region of Ukraine’s so-called “fortified belt”, most of which are occupied by Russia.

President Putin