Extract from ABC News
Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to the media as he visits the site of a damaged apartment building. (Reuters: Valentyn Ogirenko)
Ukraine's military has hit oil and military facilities near St Petersburg overnight on Saturday, in response to Kyiv suffering what has been called Russia's deadliest attack in the war to date.
Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the major drone attack on Telegram, saying the military had targeted infrastructure that was helping Russia finance its war efforts.
A plume of black smoke is seen over the port of St Petersburg after a Ukrainian drone attack. (AP)
"Ukraine's defence forces struck port oil infrastructure that generates revenue for Russia's war, and also hit Kronstadt, an important military target more than 850km (528 miles) from Ukraine's state border," Zelenskyy wrote in the post.
Russian energy infrastructure has become increasingly targeted by Ukraine this year, adding to fuel shortages in parts of the country.
Meanwhile, St Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said the aftermath of the attack had been dealt with, and there were no casualties reported.
The nearby region of Leningrad was also hit in the strike, with Governor Alexander Drozdenko reporting that 72 drones were shot down.
Deadliest attack to date
Ukraine's retaliation followed Russia's attack on Kyiv on Friday, which killed at least 27 people in the deadliest attack in the war to date.
About 130 buildings were damaged throughout the capital and 91 people were injured.
During the attack, thousands of residents rushed to bomb shelters and underground metro stations to take cover.
Seventy-four missiles and 496 drones were launched during the attack, which Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said was the "enemy's most massive attack on the capital".
'Fake claims' of city capture
On Friday, Russia's military said its forces had taken control of Kostiantynivka in central Ukraine.
Ukraine's general staff said on Saturday that this statement was another "fake claim".
The Kostiantynivka capture announcement was made by the Chief of Russia's General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, during President Vladimir Putin's visit to a military command post overseeing Russian military operations in Ukraine.
Emergency workers search for victims after a Russian missile hit a supermarket in Kostiantynivka, in Ukraine's Donetsk region. (AP: Iryna Rybakova)
Gerasimov said it was a significant step as Russia continued offensive operations aimed at taking control of the entire Donetsk region.
Russia had previously stated that its forces controlled parts of the city, but Friday's announcement marked its first claim that Kostiantynivka had been fully captured.
"We deny this," a Ukranian general staff official said in response, stating Kostiantynivka remained under the control of Ukrainian forces.
Reuters
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