Finland

Helsinki, October 18, 2026. The Finnish press reports, on the night preceding Sunday, October 18, a vast attack by Ukrainian drones on Saint Petersburg. Yle, citing Kyiv Independent, speaks of large fires and explosions; according to the Russian agency Tass, Governor Alexandre Beglov indicates that the attack targeted the oil terminal and civilian infrastructure in four neighborhoods, with no casualties at this stage. Yle adds that it seems to be the largest this autumn.

The sources remain cautious. MTV Uutiset specifies that the information comes from Telegram channels following the war and that the facts have not been confirmed by independent sources; Yle says it was unable to verify the authenticity of the videos. The governor of the Leningrad region, Alexandre Drozdenko, announced 135 drones shot down according to Yle and Helsingin Sanomat, 126 according to MTV, which adds that the debris of an aircraft damaged a house.

MTV, citing Kyiv Independent, presents the oil terminal in the port as one of the largest Russian centers for fuel storage and export, with an annual capacity of 12.5 million tonnes. A data center of the VK network was also reportedly targeted, according to Fontanka; VK claims that users should not be affected, and the damage remains uncertain.

The civilian effects are being reported: power outages affecting, according to Helsingin Sanomat, tens of thousands of people, difficulties with telecommunications and transportation, and restricted traffic at Pulkovo Airport. Yle notes that residents of Saint Petersburg risk fines if they publish images or videos of the explosions.

The specifically Finnish angle is the neighborhood. According to Helsingin Sanomat, citing Reuters, an air alert sounded in Lithuania, Kaunas Airport was closed, and NATO fighters were alerted; Latvia also gave the alert, which has since been lifted. In Finland, the Defense Forces restricted the airspace and maritime area of the eastern Gulf of Finland just before three hours, a measure still in effect and repeated this year as a precaution against a stray drone. Yle finally notes that a Nesma Airlines plane, coming from Hurghada to Saint Petersburg, landed again at Helsinki-Vantaa, a diversion airport, before departing; a Red Sea Airlines flight had done the same on Saturday.