Hosting a forum to showcase economic stability while dark smoke fills the sky presents a stark contrast. This scenario played out in St Petersburg during SPIEF 2026 when Ukrainian drones executed two significant attacks on critical energy and military sites amid the event.
The initial strike occurred on June 3, the opening day of SPIEF, hitting the Petersburg Oil Terminal and causing fires in various districts, including Kirovsky, Krasnoselsky, and Kronstadt.
A more intense strike followed on June 6-7, targeting military installations such as the Kronstadt naval base, inflicting damage on Russian military assets, notably the corvette Boykiy. Although the Russian media attempted to downplay the incidents, President Vladimir Putin acknowledged them, discussing plans to enhance air defense systems. This situation was framed by Ukrainian officials as a demonstration of their military's capability to strike deep into Russian territory.