Ukrainian long-range drones struck commercial warehouse facilities on the outskirts of Saint Petersburg early on Friday, starting a major fire that sent plumes of smoke over the surrounding residential areas.
The strikes targeted distribution hubs operated by Wildberries, the largest online shopping retailer in Russia.
Company executives confirmed that two major distribution centres in the region had temporarily suspended operations while emergency services were responding to the blazes.
Saint Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov stated on social media that military-grade unmanned aircraft targeted the city, causing damage to civilian infrastructure facilities.
The governor added that emergency crews were working on site to clear debris and contain the remaining fires.
The incident forms part of a wider series of strikes on commercial logistics networks, following previous drone attacks on similar retail facilities near Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that logistics sites belonging to commercial firms are being used to store and transfer sensitive components for sanctioned military equipment.
Officials in Kyiv describe the long-range drone strategy as targeted economic pressure, arguing that the strikes serve as direct responses to regular Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian towns.
Ukrainian military leadership asserts that targeting supply hubs and energy sites aims to disrupt fuel supplies and reduce the financial resources available to support ongoing military operations.
