Ukraine-Russia war latest: St Petersburg oil port and ‘important military target’ struck by Kyiv

Russia claimed its forces captured the key eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka yesterday. Chief of the General Staff General Valery Gerasimov described the city as "one of the main defensive hubs of the enemy within the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk-Kostiantynivka fortified area". The Russian military had long deemed the capture of the city crucial to its advance through the Donetsk region. Kyiv, however, categorically denied that Russian forces had captured Kostiantynivka. "We deny ⁠this. These are more fake claims," the military said today. Meanwhile, Russian president Vladimir Putin said that targeted strikes on Ukraine's military-industrial complex "must continue", two days after his forces launched their largest aerial attack of the war on Kyiv. Missile and drone attacks on Ukraine continued overnight, leaving four people dead and 10 injured. "I note that massive, coordinated strikes against the infrastructure of Ukraine's military-industrial complex and the facilities supporting its operation must continue," Putin said. PinnedMass missile attacks on Ukraine 'must continue', Putin says Russia "must continue" its large-scale missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian cities, president Vladimir Putin said yesterday, just two days after Moscow launched its largest attack on Kyiv. "In this regard, I note that massive, coordinated strikes against the infrastructure of Ukraine's military-industrial complex and the facilities supporting its operation must continue," the Russian president said. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian army's General Staff, told Putin during a briefing yesterday that Russia "launched another massive strike using long-range precision-guided weapons and strike unmanned aerial vehicles against military-industrial complex facilities in Kyiv". Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 07:15 PinnedRussia claims capture of Kostiantynivka Russia's military told president Vladimir Putin yesterday that it had captured the key Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka. Moscow had long sought to capture the city, deeming it vital for the advance of its troops through the Donetsk region. "The troops of the group have liberated the city of Kostiantynivka, one of the main defensive hubs of the enemy within the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk-Kostiantynivka fortified area," General Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russia's General Staff, said. "We all know that this city is a key transport and large industrial centre of Donbas," Putin said. Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 06:49Recap: St Petersburg and Leningrad under attack from large Ukrainian drone strike Russia's second city of St Petersburg and the surrounding Leningrad region came under a large Ukrainian drone attack overnight on Saturday, with a local port and oil infrastructure struck, Russian and Ukrainian authorities said. St Petersburg governor Alexander ⁠Beglov said the city of 6 million ​had ⁠been subjected to a "large-scale" drone attack, with the city's oil terminal struck. He said there were no casualties and that ⁠the aftermath of the attack had been dealt with. Leningrad region ​governor ⁠Alexander Drozdenko said drones had struck ‌the port of Vysotsk, about 170 km (105 miles) northwest of St Petersburg on the Baltic Sea. The port handles oil, grain, coal ‌and liquefied natural gas. Drozdenko said 72 ‌drones had been shot down over the Leningrad region. In a post on Telegram, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said: "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 850 km (528 miles) from Ukraine's state border." Bryony Gooch4 July 2026 13:02 Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 12:30Ukraine denies Russia captured its key city Ukraine has categorically denied Russia's claims that its military captured the key eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka. Russia's military general Valery Gerasimov told president Vladimir Putin yesterday that it had captured Kostiantynivka. "We all know that this city is a key transport and large industrial centre of Donbas," Putin said. But Ukrainian military denies these claims, calling them fake. "We deny ⁠this. These are more fake claims," a general military staff said. Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 11:30St Petersburg governor says city came under massive drone attack The governor of Russia's second city of St Petersburg said in a statement today that the city of 6 million came under a "large-scale" drone attack when its oil terminals were struck. There were no casualties and the aftermath of the attack has been dealth with, governor Alexander Beglov said. A swarm of drones struck the port of Vysotsk about 170km (105 miles) northwest of St ‌Petersburg, which handles oil, grain, coal and liquefied natural gas. Over 70 drones were shot down over the Leningrad region, the governor said. Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 10:45'Coming months could be crucial', says Poland's PM Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said yesterday that the coming months could be crucial "for various scenarios", stating that the country is preparing for military provocations. "These concerns are particularly palpable in the Baltic states," Tusk said. Western intelligence agencies have been raising alarm in recent weeks about the possibility of a Russian operation in Poland, which shares a border with Russia's heavily armed Kaliningrad and Moscow's ally Belarus. "We shouldn't be afraid. We're preparing for various situations, but we can't ignore this," Tusk said. Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 10:00In pictures: Russian air strikes on Kyiv Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 09:30 Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 09:00Putin brushes aside Russia's fuel shortage woes Despite evidence of growing fuel shortages across Russia, president Vladimir Putin brushed aside the situation as a "non-critical" issue. In the wake of recent Ukrainian attacks on oil facilities in Russia, people from at least 20 regions have been posting videos on social media of hours-long lines at service stations across the country. However, Putin said long-range strikes on Russian oil facilities had "absolutely no effect on the situation at the front". Attacks on Russia's fuel supply continued today as Ukrainian drones carried out targeted strikes at an oil terminal in St Petersburg. Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 08:30