Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Wednesday that Ukrainian forces struck the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal overnight, some 1,100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, in what Kyiv calls "long-range sanctions".
"Last night, important facilities on Russian territory were hit. Among them was the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal — a facility in Russia's oil sector working in service of the war", Zelensky wrote on social media. A military base at Kronstadt, used by Russia's Baltic Fleet, was also struck, he said.
Zelensky said a weapons manufacturing facility in the Tambov region, nearly 600 kilometers from the front line, was also targeted. The operations were carried out jointly by Ukraine's Security Service, Unmanned Systems Forces, Special Operations Forces, military intelligence and the State Border Guard Service.
"The Ukrainian plan of long-range sanctions is being implemented exactly as it should be to bring peace closer", Zelensky wrote, thanking soldiers "for their precision".
Ukrainian commentators questioned Wednesday morning whether Putin would still appear in person at the forum following the strikes. Putin is scheduled to formally open the event Thursday.
The attacks cast a shadow over German participation in the forum. More than 1,500 German companies remain active in Russia, with combined revenues of around EUR 20 billion — roughly a third of what they were five years ago and a quarter of the 2014 peak.
Matthias Schepp, head of the German-Russian Chamber of Commerce, defended attendance. "We want to be ready for the period after a ceasefire is reached, just as other major Western countries are", he said, adding that Germany sought to protect assets in Russia worth more than EUR 100 billion and prevent Asian competitors from filling the void in Russian markets. France and the United States returned to the forum a year ago.
Among German attendees are Stefan Dürr, founder of EkoNiva, Russia's largest dairy company, and Thomas Bruch, longtime head of the Globus Holding retail group. Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, who maintains close ties with Putin, was also spotted in Russia ahead of the forum.
Representatives of the far-right Alternative for Germany party are also attending, including MEP Petr Bystron, who faces accusations of receiving payments from Russian sources.
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Source: Polish Radio, PAP