Story perspectives

Ukraine Drones Hit St Petersburg, Spur Russian Counter-attacks

6/4/2026

Summary

Story summary

Ukraine’s long-range drones are reaching Russian strategic depth, striking St Petersburg.
The campaign threatens major Russian cities and energy infrastructure.
Russia retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, killing at least 23 people.
The Urals, Tyumen, Vladivostok and Sakhalin are funding local anti-drone systems as defense shifts to them.
Drone strikes halted output at refineries that supplied over 30 % of gasoline and 25 % of diesel.

History

Historical Context

NATO’s 1999 air campaign against Yugoslav oil refineries built on the precedent set by its 1995 Operation Deliberate Force, which struck 338 Bosnian-Serb targets with 1,026 bombs to force a peace settlement. Directed by Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, the 1999 strikes marked the first NATO use of extensive fuel-infrastructure attacks, a tactic echoed today in drone assaults on Russian refineries.

1 of 2

Story summary

Ukraine’s long-range drones are reaching Russian strategic depth, striking St Petersburg.
The campaign threatens major Russian cities and energy infrastructure.
Russia retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, killing at least 23 people.
The Urals, Tyumen, Vladivostok and Sakhalin are funding local anti-drone systems as defense shifts to them.
Drone strikes halted output at refineries that supplied over 30 % of gasoline and 25 % of diesel.

1 / 2