00:00Ukraine strikes St. Petersburg and targets Crimea's lifeline in escalating campaign.
00:05Kyiv, July 4th. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on July 5th that Ukrainian
00:12forces had launched a retaliatory strike against military targets in St. Petersburg and other
00:17Russian cities, marking one of the deepest attacks into Russian territory since the war began.
00:23The operation targeted military logistics, oil refineries, and weapons production sites,
00:28including areas near Pskov and Vyborg, which lie between St. Petersburg and the Finnish border.
00:34President Zelensky emphasized that the strikes were aimed exclusively at military and energy
00:39infrastructure supporting Russia's war effort, stating,
00:43we do not intend to hit civilian infrastructure or make Russian people suffer the way Ukrainians
00:48have suffered. St. Petersburg, often considered President Vladimir Putin's political stronghold,
00:54was hit by a series of explosions overnight on July 4th to 5th, according to local media reports.
01:01Footage shared on social media showed fires at industrial facilities and a large warehouse,
01:06while authorities in the Leningrad region confirmed an attack on an oil depot in the area.
01:11The Ukrainian general staff reported that the strike was a direct response to Russia's July 2nd attacks
01:17on Ukrainian cities, which killed at least 30 civilians and destroyed residential buildings and hospitals.
01:24President Zelensky described Russia's actions as terrorism and vowed that Ukraine would not
01:29surrender to a superpower that targets children. The war reaches Putin's hometown.
01:35The St. Petersburg region, located more than 1,100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border,
01:41had largely been insulated from direct conflict. The attack, which involved Ukrainian-made long-range
01:47drones, was called a warning by Zelensky that Ukraine has the capability to target Russian forces
01:53anywhere. Russian military analysts noted that the attack exploited gaps in Russia's air defense,
02:00with some facilities hit despite air defense systems being active. The extent of the damage remains
02:06under assessment, though the attack is considered a significant escalation. Crimea's supply chain cut.
02:13Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umirov announced on July 4th that Ukraine's campaign to sever Russian
02:19supply lines to Crimea has nearly isolated the peninsula. Most bridges and key roads connecting Crimea to
02:26the Russian mainland have been destroyed, making it extremely difficult for Russia to resupply its troops
02:31in southern Ukraine. Umirov stated that Ukraine's long-range weapons, including domestically produced
02:38ballistic missiles, are now capable of striking critical military and energy infrastructure in occupied territory
02:44and deep inside Russia. Crimea is now strategically isolated, with Russian forces facing severe logistical
02:51constraints.
02:53Russia's mounting losses
02:54The Ukrainian Defense Ministry also released its June 2026 Casualty Report, estimating Russian losses
03:02at more than 40,000 personnel, the highest single-month toll since 2022. The report also claimed the
03:09destruction of over 2,000 artillery systems and 8,612 military vehicles. Western intelligence sources
03:17estimate total Russian casualties in the war at over 1.4 million personnel since the invasion began in
03:23February 2022. Despite this, Russia retains a numerical advantage in artillery and airpower,
03:30though Ukraine's strategic strikes are increasingly challenging Moscow's ability to sustain its war
03:35machine. A new phase of conflict
03:39Ukraine's ability to strike St. Petersburg marks a new phase in the war. The city, which is central to
03:45Putin's political identity, has now been drawn into the conflict. President Zelensky has warned that
03:52further strikes on Russian territory are possible, stating that Ukraine will not limit itself to
03:57traditional battlegrounds while Russian missiles continue to hit Ukrainian cities. This is a dynamic
04:03war, and the situation can change rapidly. The latest strikes, whether political messaging or part of a
04:10broader military strategy, represent a new phase of conflict that could have profound consequences in
04:16the coming weeks.
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