Pictures and videos on social media show open flames and thick smoke from the terminal - one of Russia's largest and most important, strategically located in the large port of St. Petersburg.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirms that Ukraine is behind it and states that the attacks have yielded "good results."
"Important facilities on Russian territory were hit last night. Among them is the St. Petersburg oil terminal," the Ukrainian president writes on X.
According to Zelenskyy, the Kronstadt shipyard outside St. Petersburg, near the Gulf of Finland, has also been attacked. The base services the ships of the Russian Baltic Fleet and is owned by the state-sanctioned Russian conglomerate United Shipbuilding Corporation.
Air traffic was stopped
Nearly 60 drones were shot down over the Leningrad region overnight, Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko said on Telegram. Mobile internet is reported to be largely down. Traffic from St. Petersburg's Pulkovo airport was temporarily halted, according to the ANSA news agency.
The extent of the damage is unclear. According to Drozdenko's latest update on Telegram, there are no reports of injuries, while St. Petersburg Mayor Aleksandr Beglov writes on the platform that several people have been injured.
Media reports describe the attacks as embarrassing for President Vladimir Putin, who a few weeks ago scaled back the big Victory Day celebrations in Moscow out of fear of Ukrainian drone attacks. They come just hours before this year’s edition of the Spief economic forum - commonly known as “Putin’s Davos” and seen as a prestigious event in Russia - gets underway. Spief runs from June 3-6, and Putin is expected to speak on Friday, the 5th.
Foreign stars
In addition to the Russian president, a number of high-profile figures are expected to visit St. Petersburg, including China's Vice President Han Zheng and Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman al-Saud, who are each leading a large trade delegation.
For the first time in almost a decade, the United States is also sending a delegation, reports Russian news agency Interfax.
Various Western figures have also been invited, including conservative commentator Candace Owens and Putin's actor friend Steven Seagal. According to AFP, representatives of the German far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party are also on the guest list.
