Ukraine drone attack on St. Petersburg coincides with SPEF opening day

Ukraine attacked St. Petersburg with drones on the opening day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Russian Z-bloggers expressed bewilderment, while federal television remained silent on the incident. The attackers used Starlink connectivity, raising questions about Elon Musk's role.

Ukrainian drones struck St. Petersburg on the opening day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPEF), causing widespread confusion across Russian propaganda channels. Federal television largely ignored the incident, while videos documenting the attack circulated widely on social media.

Z-bloggers baffled

Russian war bloggers, known as Z-bloggers, struggled to understand how such an attack could occur precisely during the forum's opening, when the city hosted numerous high-level guests. Some commentators highlighted a paradox: Russia had refrained from attacking Kyiv when European delegations were present, yet Ukraine saw no need to observe such restraint.

The Starlink question

Particularly notable is the claim that drones used Elon Musk's Starlink satellite connectivity. Questions circulated in the blogosphere: Musk was aware that his father was attending SPEF, yet the drones reached St. Petersburg nonetheless. Such assertions underscore the use of Western technological solutions in Ukraine's conduct of war.

The logic of forum organisation

Commentators highlighted an absurd situation: five years after the conflict began, major cities continue to host economic forums even as these same cities have repeatedly been targets of drone attacks. Questions were also raised about the inadequacy of energy infrastructure protection and the political will to defend infrastructure more effectively.