Vladimir Putin’s grip on the war in Ukraine is quickly unravelling as Kyiv launches devastating attacks on Russia’s own territory.
Overnight, a wave of Ukrainian drones struck an oil facility in St Petersburg – a rare attack on President Putin’s hometown.
A drone even flew over Valdai Palace south of St Petersburg, one of the Russian leader’s main residences outside of Moscow, according to Ukrainian intelligence.
One of Moscow’s international airports – Vnukovo Airport – had to abruptly shut down and cancel all flights due to panic over a drone attack.
The airport closure as well as the increasing frequency of Ukraine’s drone attacks will spark fears inside the Kremlin that the war is disrupting the lives of ordinary Russians.
READ MORE: Keir Starmer squirms over tough question about Nigel Farage
The overnight strikes came just as Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that the war in Ukraine had had a “positive impact on life” inside Russia.
During a lengthy press conference today, Mr Lavrov said Moscow’s large-scale military intervention against Ukraine had “cleansed” Russian society.
He told reporters: “The special military operation has united our society like never before and contributed to the cleansing of people who do not feel they belong to Russian history and culture.”
Tens of thousands of Russians left the country in protest at the start of the war, while thousands more fled after a military mobilisation drive.
The latest Ukraine drone attack is part of a “new phase” of strikes, according to Ukrainian military sources.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously pledged to hit more targets inside Russia this year, in an attempt to ramp up the pressure on Mr Putin.
The Russian ministry of defence said that all drones had been “intercepted” but the Ukrainian military officialsaid: “There are confirmed hits. This is a new stage of work in this region.”
Russian officials also confirmed a missile strike on Belgorod, a border city that has repeatedly been targeted.
The attacks forced the regional emergencies ministry to cancel the city’s traditional Orthodox Epiphany festivities.
On December 30, a Ukrainian strike in Belgorod killed 21 people and wounded 110, according to regional officials.
The border city has since built several bomb shelters to quell growing panic among residents.
