Strikes Kill Two, Injure 17 Amid Escalating Infrastructure Attacks
Ukraine's extensive drone operations target Russian oil and data facilities; Russia retaliates against Ukrainian steelworks and port infrastructure.
Callum Smith
Two people have been killed and at least 17 injured in strikes on power infrastructure.
Fires erupted at St. Petersburg's oil terminal, an oil depot, and industrial warehouses following extensive drone attacks. A logistics center belonging to Ozon and a data center for VK were specifically targeted; social network VK confirmed a drone had aimed at its regional data center.
Russia, in turn, launched a major overnight assault, striking Ukraine's largest steelworks in Kryvyi Rih and vessels in Odesa. Energy facilities in four Ukrainian regions suffered attacks, leaving tens of thousands of families without power.
St. Petersburg's governor, Alexander Beglov, reported 12 apartment buildings were hit, resulting in one death and five injuries. Pulkovo Airport temporarily shut down following the attack.
The Ukrainian attack triggered a fire at the Saint Petersburg Oil Terminal.
Governor Beglov stated the Ukrainian attack triggered a fire at the Saint Petersburg Oil Terminal. One person was killed and five more were wounded in the attack on the Petersburg Oil Terminal and the Ruchi oil depot.
Debris from downed drones fell on homes, cars, and power lines, causing brief power outages. Moscow's Mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, stated authorities destroyed 75 drones heading towards the capital.
The UN noted on Friday that the first two weeks of October had been the deadliest for Ukrainian civilians in years. This escalation follows temporary speed restrictions on Starshield, a military-grade version of SpaceX's Starlink, which Ukraine uses for drone missions and air defenses.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that intelligence sharing from the US, briefly suspended, had resumed. Russia had struck energy targets 76 times since Donald Trump declared an "energy ceasefire" last week, according to Zelensky.
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to block sanctions Congress passed against Russia. The proposed 500 percent tariffs on Russian energy resources were set to complicate plans to increase supplies of Russian diesel to the global market.
Lithuania reported an unidentified flying object entering its airspace, prompting a red alert and scrambling of NATO fighter jets. Ukraine's foreign ministry regretted the possible diversion of its drones into Lithuanian airspace, suggesting Russian electronic warfare as a cause.