Putin Vows Stronger Air Defenses After Drones Hit 2 St. Petersburg Sites
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 4
Putin Vows Stronger Air Defenses After Drones Hit 2 St. Petersburg Sites
3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 4
Summary
Putin said Russia will strengthen air defenses after Ukrainian drones struck an oil terminal and the Kronstadt naval base near St. Petersburg before the economic forum opened.
Those attacks disrupted daily life far from the front—delaying or diverting scores of flights and prompting authorities to cut mobile internet—underscoring Ukraine’s growing reach deep inside Russia.
Putin paired the pledge with a hard line on talks, saying Russia is open to compromise only on terms discussed with Trump in Anchorage and rejecting EU states as neutral mediators.
He also pressed Moscow’s battlefield aims, saying Russian forces are advancing and noting Ukraine still holds about 15% of the Donetsk region Russia seeks to control.
The comments came as Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at Kyiv and other cities this week, and as Putin used the St. Petersburg forum to project resilience despite a clouding economic outlook.
While Putin courts global partners, are Ukraine's deep strikes exposing the limits of Russia's power on the world stage?
With AI drones devastating its forces, can Russia's promised air defense upgrade actually turn the tide of the war?
As Putin signals a deal based on a US proposal, will Ukraine be pressured to trade its territory for peace?
St. Petersburg Under Siege: Ukraine’s Record Drone Strike and the Escalation of the Russia-Ukraine War
Overview
On June 3, 2026, Ukraine launched a major drone attack on St. Petersburg, marking a new phase in the conflict by targeting the city during the opening of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. This large-scale strike carried a strong symbolic message for President Putin and caused significant disruption, including temporary flight restrictions and delays at Pulkovo airport. The attack highlighted Ukraine’s evolving long-range drone strategy and demonstrated its ability to create widespread disruption deep inside Russia, signaling that no part of the country is fully secure and challenging the Kremlin’s narrative of control.