The operation followed a statement by President Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukraine has removed previous restrictions on attacking Russian refineries. TASS reported that air defenses downed 126 drones over Leningrad Oblast during the barrage on Oct. 18. This follows a separate attack on Oct. 16 that closed airspace over St. Petersburg and prompted Finland to restrict flights over the Gulf of Finland.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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Ukraine Hits Russia's Largest Baltic Oil Port After Lifting Refinery Strike Ban
War3 days ago
Connectivity for the Russian social media network VK fell to 56% of ordinary levels after Ukrainian drones set fire to a primary data center hub near St. Petersburg. The strikes also ignited the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal, Russia's largest Baltic transshipment site with an annual capacity of 12.5 million tons, and hit the Vostochnaya 330 kV electrical substation in Leningrad Oblast. These combined attacks caused regional power outages and forced the suspension of flights at Pulkovo Airport.
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