Russian Forces Shoot Down 25 Drones Near St Petersburg During Economic Forum

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Moscow:  Russian air defences intercepted dozens of Ukrainian drones targeting areas around St Petersburg and Moscow on Saturday, as Ukraine continued its long-range drone campaign deep inside Russian territory.

Authorities in the Leningrad region, which surrounds St Petersburg, said 25 drones were shot down overnight. Regional governor Aleksandr Drozdenko said military operations were continuing to counter the aerial threat.

The latest attack came during the final day of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Russia's flagship business gathering that featured a keynote address by President Vladimir Putin on Friday.

The drone activity followed strikes earlier in the week that reportedly hit an oil facility and a military site in St Petersburg on the opening day of the forum, highlighting Ukraine's ability to target strategic locations far from the front lines.

Meanwhile, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defences also intercepted nine drones heading toward the Russian capital on Saturday.

Drone warfare has become a central feature of the conflict as both Russia and Ukraine intensify attacks beyond the battlefield. Kyiv has increasingly targeted military, energy and infrastructure sites inside Russia, while Moscow continues its own drone and missile strikes against Ukrainian territory.

The escalation comes as international efforts to negotiate an end to the war have made little progress. Diplomatic initiatives led by the United States have struggled to gain momentum, while attention has increasingly shifted to tensions elsewhere, including the conflict in the Middle East.

Despite repeated calls for negotiations, both sides continue to carry out large-scale aerial attacks, underscoring the ongoing intensity of a war that is now in its fifth year.

Pic Credit: AFP