SATELLITE images show the aftermath of a Ukrainian strike on Vladimir Putin’s prized warship, “Boyky”.
Several long-range drones targeted the corvette at the Kronstadt naval base, near St Petersburg – in a major blow to the Russian President, just hours before guests gathered for the city’s economic forum.
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Satellite pics show smoke pouring from a docked Russian warship Credit: Militarnyi
A fireball after a Ukrainian long-range drone strike on St Petersburg Credit: Telegram
Thick plumes of smoke are shown pouring into the air, visible from a few miles away.
Footage indicates that the vessel – which had been engaged in escorting Russia‘s shadow fleet – was struck by at least two Ukrainian drones.
A fire subsequently broke out aboard the “Boyky,” which was undergoing scheduled repairs.
Russian pro-war Telegram channel Rybar reported: “Why the corvette was in such a position without protection is a question with an asterisk.
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“The fleet is extremely vulnerable to Ukrainian raids…
“As for communications, a Starlink satellite terminal was most likely used.
“The scheme is already well established – one of the relay drones travels through the Baltic states into international waters in the Gulf of Finland and transmits the signal to strike drones.”
A number of energy and military sites in St Petersburg were also hit early on Wednesday.
A video released by Ukraine shows the drone aiming for the Russian corvette Credit: Ukrainian Special Operations Forces
The followed explosion Credit: Ukrainian Special Operations Forces
Dramatic footage from the port city showed fireball blasts erupting in the St Petersburg Oil Terminal, one of Russia‘s largest fuel storage and export facilities.
Another video saw Russian police officers attempting to shoot down the Ukrainian drones with rifles – “dad’s army style” as UK historian Simon Sebag Montefiore noted.
In a post on X, he said: “This footage is quite extraordinary; Piter, the capital of Peter the Great and Putin, under Ukrainian drone attack with ordinary policemen firing skywards – Dad’s army style – and passersby filming on phones.
“This is our world now. This is war 2026.”
Ukraine‘s drone strikes on Putin’s home city, location of his own “Davos” – a glitzy annual economic forum designed to attract foreign investment – comes as both sides have dialled up strikes against each other.
Some of the most prominent guests this year come from Saudi Arabia, including Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.
Governor Alexander Beglov said that unspecified “infrastructure objects” had been attacked in three districts.
Air defences shot down 59 Ukrainian drones, it was further reported.
“Several facilities have been damaged. Clean-up operations are currently underway,” Beglov said.
“Several people have been injured. There have been no fatalities.”
With stalemate at US-brokered peace talks, the war has dragged on, and the Kremlin says the US is now preoccupied by its war with Iran.
“Unfortunately, they are paying less attention,” said the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.
She further accused Europe of “arming itself to the teeth” and promoting war on the continent.
