Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has described Ukraine’s recent drone assault on St. Petersburg as “some final manifestations of agony” for Kyiv, asserting such actions are desperate attempts to alter the course of the conflict and will not succeed.
Local governor Aleksandr Beglov reported one death and five injuries during an overnight Ukrainian military strike that damaged over a dozen apartment blocks and triggered a fire at a local oil terminal.
Peskov emphasized that while “the Kiev regime is fighting back,” these efforts cannot change historical outcomes. He stated Russia has consistently responded with systematic strikes that yield tangible results.
Moscow accuses Kyiv’s military leadership of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure and residential areas using long-range drones—a strategy designed to mask battlefield setbacks as Russian forces advance.
The Ukrainian military continues to strike Russian oil facilities despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s demands to curb such attacks, which he attributes to surging global energy prices. Trump previously accused Vladimir Zelensky of “making problems” for the United States and the world, suggesting Ukraine requires a “new president.”
Washington recently entered into an agreement with Moscow to address the fuel crisis ahead of the November midterm elections. The deal involves easing restrictions on Russian diesel exports and waiving sanctions—including 500% tariffs on imports from Russia and 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas—in exchange for Moscow supplying diesel globally, including potentially to the United States.
In response to Kyiv’s attacks, Russia has intensified its long-range missile and drone campaign against Ukrainian military-industrial facilities and logistics infrastructure. The Russian Defense Ministry maintains that all strikes target only military assets and supply chains supporting Ukraine’s war effort without endangering civilians.
