In a major escalation of its deep-strike capabilities, Ukrainian long-range drones targeted critical Russian military and energy infrastructure up to 1,000 kilometers away overnight. As confirmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on his official Facebook page, the joint operation successfully hit Russian Navy arsenals and the historic naval base in Kronstadt, near Saint Petersburg, alongside critical oil infrastructure in the Krasnodar region.
The operation, conducted jointly by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), and the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), marks a highly sophisticated step in Kyiv’s asymmetric response strategy. In Leningrad Oblast, the drones targeted the 15th Arsenal of the Russian Navy in Velikaya Izhora. The intensity of the strikes prompted local authorities to initiate emergency evacuations of nearby civilians, highlighting the disruption caused deep within Russian borders. Simultaneously, Ukrainian “long-range sanctions” struck an oil depot in Ust-Labinsk, Krasnodar Krai, approximately 500 kilometers from Ukraine, causing a massive blaze.
President Zelenskyy emphasized that these actions serve as a necessary countermeasure to Russia’s ongoing aggression. “This war must end, but the Russian leader wants to fight. That is why Ukrainian sanctions and defensive strikes remain active,” Zelenskyy stated. He reiterated that any acts of injustice against Ukraine would receive a swift and just response. This strategy aimed at degrading Russia’s military logistics also extended to occupied territories, where a significant strike hit the port of Mariupol, a critical logistics hub for Russian forces on the southern front.
Military analysts view the infiltration of airspace near Saint Petersburg—traditionally one of Russia’s most heavily fortified military zones—as a severe systemic failure of Russian air defense. By forcing Moscow to reassess its domestic security, Ukraine successfully diverts critical air defense assets away from the front lines. These deep-penetration strikes underscore an evolving phase of the conflict, demonstrating that geographical distance no longer shields Russia’s strategic assets from Ukrainian retaliation.