LONDON and MOSCOW — Ukraine in a single day launched a large aerial assault, sending tons of of drones towards targets in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and hanging a significant oil terminal once more regardless of strain from President Donald Trump to finish such assaults.
Drones struck a significant oil terminal in St. Petersburg in addition to a big knowledge middle, with movies posted on-line showing to indicate fires burning. Video additionally seems to indicate a drone hanging an enormous bridge within the metropolis.
Russia’s Ministry of Protection stated it had shot down some 1,015 drones close to Moscow and a number of other different western areas, making the assault one of many largest of the battle. The assault additionally gave the impression to be the most important St. Petersburg has witnessed.
Smoke rises above town following an air assault on the oil terminal in Saint Petersburg on October 18, 2026, amid the continued Russian-Ukrainian battle.
Stringer/AFP through Getty Photos
St. Petersburg’s governor, Alexander Beglov, confirmed the assaults within the metropolis, in a submit on Telegram, writing, “Emergency companies proceed to work on extinguishing fires on the St. Petersburg oil terminal, the Ruchyi oil depot and industrial warehouses within the Kolpinsky District.”
One individual was killed and 5 others had been injured in St. Petersburg, Beglov stated, saying that condo buildings and houses had been broken within the assault.
Two transformer substations had been struck in Yanino, within the Leningrad area, Gov. Alexander Drozdenko stated, including that about 20,000 individuals had been with out electrical energy on Sunday morning. Russia media reported the assault was one of many largest the area had witnessed because the begin of battle.
Folks watch the burning oil terminal following an air assault in Saint Petersburg on October 18, 2026, amid the continued Russian-Ukrainian battle.
Stringer/AFP through Getty Photos
The strikes on the oil terminals additionally underline that Ukraine has returned to attacking Russia’s oil trade after pausing to stick to Trump’s “vitality ceasefire.” The Kremlin by no means abided by that “ceasefire.”
Ukraine had reluctantly halted the refinery assaults below strain from Trump, after he introduced final weekend that the 2 sides had agreed to the “ceasefire” and following his take care of Russian President Vladimir Putin to raise sanctions on Russian diesel.
It comes as Trump this week moved to additional ease strain on Putin whereas escalating it on Zelenskyy. Trump on Friday waived a sweeping new sanctions package deal handed by Congress. The sanctions regulation named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham would have considerably expanded measures focusing on Russia’s oil and fuel trade.
Smoke rises above town following an air assault on the oil terminal in Saint Petersburg on October 18, 2026, amid the continued Russian-Ukrainian battle.
Stringer/AFP through Getty Photos
Zelenskyy has criticised the transfer, saying it encourages Putin to maintain combating. He steered on Saturday he believed Trump would doubtless transfer to additional ease sanctions on Putin, saying the diesel deal was simply step one.
This week Ukraine additionally reported Elon Musk’s essential Starlink web system had been abruptly restricted on its drones, disrupting its navy’s operations, with considerations in Kyiv the transfer was meant to additional strain it. There was additionally nervousness amongst officers in Ukraine that Trump might transfer to restrict intelligence sharing offering warning about Russia missiles launches.
Russia has continued to closely goal Ukraine’s vitality infrastructure with out pause regardless of Trump’s declaring the 2 sides had agreed to the “ceasefire” final weekend.
The location of personal homes broken by a Russian air strike, amid Russia’s assault on Ukraine, within the frontline metropolis of Sloviansk, Ukraine on this handout image launched October 18, 2026.
State Emergency Service Of Ukraine through Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday morning accused Russia of “intentionally” launching at the very least 76 assaults on vitality or oil and fuel targets over the past week. He stated Russia had launched assaults in a single day on substations in 4 areas, together with Odesa.
“Tens of 1000’s of households stay with out energy,” Zelenskyy said on social media. “Power staff and restore crews are working nearly across the clock to revive electrical energy provide.”
Russian assaults on Ukraine in a single day killed at the very least two individuals and injured at the very least a dozen others, he stated.
“In complete, over this previous week, the Russians have attacked Ukraine with virtually 2,700 assault drones, 1,700 aerial bombs, and 66 missiles, most of them ballistic,” Zelenskyy stated. “The principle targets of those strikes are vitality amenities — the Russians try to trigger a blackout. And America ought to see that Russia shouldn’t be taking any reciprocal steps in response to sanctions reduction or agreements.”
