Ukraine defies Trump and launches one of its biggest drone attacks on Russia this year

Ukraine struck a major Russian oil terminal in defiance of US President Donald Trump's plea to stop targeting Russian energy infrastructure. The attack occurred overnight on Saturday, and it targeted the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal, which can handle up to 12.5 million tons annually. Russia's defense ministry reported shooting down 1,015 Ukrainian drones over the country that night.

The assault on the terminal resulted in a fire, and nearby logistics center in St. Petersburg was also hit. One person was killed, and five others were injured. This escalation comes amid a deteriorating relationship between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump, who previously called the strikes on Russian oil refineries a "disgrace."

Although the US White House claimed an agreement with Russia to cease attacking energy infrastructure, neither Ukraine nor Moscow confirmed this. In the previous 24 hours, Russia launched 76 attacks on Ukraine's energy and oil and gas sectors, with 11 fatalities and nearly 50 injuries reported. Zelensky accused the US of benefiting from the conflict, as the administration had waived sanctions on Russian diesel imports and invoked exemptions from economic penalties.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's access to the Starlink system, used for guiding short-range and battlefield drones, remains limited due to restrictions imposed by the US.