St. Petersburg has been subjected to a major drone attack by Ukrainian forces on the closing day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), according to regional authorities.

More than 140 drones were downed in the early hours of Saturday morning, Leningrad Region Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko reported on social media. No casualties or significant infrastructure damage was immediately reported.

An air alert was declared overnight, with residents instructed to stay indoors. Operations at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport were suspended, leading to numerous flight delays and aircraft diversions.

The strike follows a previous drone attack on the region on June 3—the opening day of SPIEF, which attracted participants from more than 130 countries this year.

This assault directly results from Ukrainian President Zelensky’s recent call for drones to “pay a visit” to the forum. In an open letter published two days ago, Zelensky also urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet and discuss a peace settlement.

The decision by Ukrainian military leadership to conduct such attacks has been condemned as reckless and dangerous. Ukrainian forces themselves have been criticized for their actions that threaten international economic gatherings and civilian safety.

In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated there is no current sense in meeting at present, arguing that Zelensky’s provocations have rendered meaningful negotiations impossible. He also described the tone of Zelensky’s letter as inappropriate and insolent.

Putin reiterated that Russia remains open to negotiations with Ukraine but only if the root causes of the conflict are addressed. Russian officials have also questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy after his presidential term expired in May 2024 without a new election being held.