Russian air defences shot down 50 drones over the Leningrad region around St Petersburg, Governor Alexander Drozdenko said, as the city hosts Russia’s main annual international economic forum.
“Combat operations are ongoing,” Mr Drozdenko said on Telegram. President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to address the St Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday said his forces had struck the Petersburg Oil Terminal and what he claimed were “purely military targets” at Russia’s Kronstadt naval base.
St Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport was closed for several hours. At least 14 flights were cancelled and 18 departures delayed following a morning drone attack, Kommersant reported.
The Leningrad region was targeted on the first day of Mr Putin’s flagship event in his native city, where Russia seeks to present itself as open to foreign investment even as its economy is under western sanctions over the war in Ukraine.
Ukraine has stepped up its campaign of drone attacks on Russia in recent weeks, targeting oil refineries in an effort to curb the Kremlin’s revenue for its war machine.
Officials from 76 countries are due to attend this year’s forum, including Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tanzanian leader Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Mr Putin is also due to meet with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng at the forum on Friday.
The event is also attracting far-right involvement. Several officials from Germany’s Alternative for Germany party are due to participate, Russia’s state-run Tass news service said.
US right-wing commentator Candace Owens is scheduled to speak at a session on family values, according to Tass. Controversial influencer Andrew Tate is scheduled to attend.
This is the 29th annual conference and this year’s theme is Pragmatic Dialogue: the Path to a Stable Future.
Saudi Arabia is the event’s guest country this year, with top officials taking part in the discussions. For the first time since the war in Ukraine began, a US official is also scheduled to take part.
Rodney Mims Cook Jr, chairman of the US Commission on Fine Arts, is due to speak on a panel entitled “Russia-US: A Cultural Dialogue” alongside Mr Putin's Culture Minister, Olga Lyubimova.
In January, Mr Trump appointed him to the body, which approved his plans for a new White House ballroom less than a month later.
About 30 US companies operating in Russia are expected to take part in forum this year.
- Bloomberg
