Ukraine Strikes St Petersburg and 4 Refineries as Fire Control Reaches 5 Luhansk Cities
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jun 5
Ukraine Strikes St Petersburg and 4 Refineries as Fire Control Reaches 5 Luhansk Cities
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jun 5
Summary
St Petersburg came under Ukrainian attack as Putin arrived for an economic forum, capping a wider campaign that also hit the Saratov, Rostov, Ilsky and Novoshakhtinsky refineries.
Five occupied Luhansk cities are now under Ukrainian fire control, Kyiv says, letting it hit trucks, armored vehicles, depots and even a training ground 50 to 90km behind the front.
104 square kilometres of net Russian gains this year were cut by the Institute for the Study of War to 40.64sq km, while it said Russia lost control of 281.1sq km that Ukraine contested.
656 drones and 73 missiles fired by Russia on June 2 showed Moscow still holds an edge in ballistics: Ukraine intercepted only 27% of ballistic missiles, versus more than 90% of drones and cruise missiles.
120 ballistic missiles a month are being produced by Russia, Zelenskyy said, as he urged Patriot interceptor production under licence and argued Moscow's supply lines and war economy are increasingly vulnerable.
As Ukraine's drone swarms bring Russia's war machine to a halt, is this the new blueprint for modern warfare?
While winning on the battlefield, why is Ukraine being denied the technology to defend its cities from Russian missiles?
Disrupting Russia: How Over 1 Million bpd of Oil Capacity Was Lost to Ukrainian Drone Strikes in 2026
Overview
On June 3, 2026, Ukrainian forces launched a major drone attack on three districts of St. Petersburg, causing loud explosions, visible smoke, and temporary flight restrictions at the city’s main airport, which led to over 30 flight delays or cancellations. This strike, timed just before the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, highlighted Ukraine’s growing ability to carry out deep strikes inside Russia. It is part of an intensifying Ukrainian drone campaign targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure and strategic assets, demonstrating Ukraine’s evolving capabilities and sending a strong strategic message to Russia and the international community.