Drones Ukrainians hit São Petersburgo, the hometown of President Vladimir Putin, shortly before the opening of Fórum Econômico Internacional. The attacks targeted oil terminals and a military base, generating visible columns of smoke in the region. The incident occurred on the same day that political and business leaders from more than 130 countries were scheduled to attend the event.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the actions, describing the impacts as a “good result” from the drone units. The presence of an AfD party delegation at the forum, however, provoked strong criticism from German politicians from other parties. Essas holdings are seen as a propaganda opportunity for Rússia amid the ongoing conflict.
Alvos and interrupts on São Petersburgo
São Petersburgo authorities have issued warnings to residents and visitors about the drone threat. Mensagens text messages warned about possible interruptions in the mobile internet. The oil terminal and a pure military target in the Kronstadt district, where the Russian Marinha maintains its base in Mar Báltico, were the locations hit. Imagens of dense columns of black smoke circulated widely on social media following the attacks.
Air traffic on Aeroporto Pulkovo of São Petersburgo had to be temporarily stopped due to the situation. The impact of the drones served as a clear warning from Ucrânia, strategically placed to coincide with the start of one of Rússia’s most important economic events. The action seeks to disrupt the narrative of normality that Moscou tries to project.
AfD’s Delegação sparks controversy in Alemanha
An AfD party delegation arrived at Fórum Econômico Internacional of São Petersburgo (SPIEF), an annual event organized by the Russian government. Essa participation generated strong criticism from other German political parties. The forum, which describes itself as a platform for “dialogue between business circles within Rússia, emerging markets and the world”, was attended by representatives from several nations.
- AfD politicians present included:
- Markus Frohnmaier
- Steffen Kotré
- Jörg Urban
- Petr Bystron
Jürgen Hardt, CDU/CSU foreign policy spokesman, questioned the decision, calling it “stupidity”. Ele argued that the visit offered Putin a propaganda opportunity at a critical time in the war in Ucrânia, increasing the danger to Alemanha and harming Ucrânia. The AfD party leadership, this time, remained away, with Frohnmaier taking over the organization and communication of the trip.
Posicionamento of Zelenskyy and AfD on the attacks
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ucrânia, confirmed the drone attacks. Ele stressed that the impacts were a “good result” of the joint effort of drone units from various branches of the military and intelligence services. The statement reinforces the Ukrainian strategy of hitting strategic targets on Russian territory.
On the other hand, a spokesperson for the AfD parliamentary group defended going to the forum, citing the importance of maintaining contact with all parties and preserving open communication channels. Kotré and Urban declared their intention to publicly distance themselves from the German government’s policy towards Rússia during the visit. Kotré stated in a podcast: “We advocate cooperation with Rússia, an end to sanctions, an end to military aid to Ucrânia, and peace diplomacy instead.”
German Empresas are also criticized for their presence
Além from the AfD political delegation, the participation of German companies in the economic forum was also criticized. Roderich Kiesewetter, a CDU foreign policy expert, expressed concern to the newspaper Handelsblatt. Ele claimed that German companies seeking deals with “a war criminal in São Petersburgo” are undermining Alemanha’s national security interests and international credibility.
Sebastian Roloff, an SPD politician, described the companies’ participation as a “catastrophic sign”. German politicians emphasized the need for solidarity with Ucrânia and the importance of not legitimizing Russian actions on the international stage. The pressure on companies reflects the complexity of economic and political relationships in a context of conflict.