BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts.

Hello and welcome to News Hour live from the BBC World Service in London. I'm Rebecca Kesb.

Russia's second city, St Petersburg, has come under attack from hundreds of Ukrainian drones, just as the city was

hosting the final day of Russia's annual economic forum. Local people were advised to stay indoors

for the first time since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022. Ukrainian President

Vladimir Zelensky said his forces were targeting the Russian Navy as well

as an oil installation in the region. Local Russian officials, though, said the attacks had caused

only insignificant damage, but some civilians had been evacuated. In fact, there were a number of

other drone strikes across the country, including in the capital Moscow.

Russia's defence ministry said its anti-aircraft unit shot down 339 Ukrainian drones over a 13-hour period.

Well, long-range Ukrainian drone attacks inside Russia have increased in recent months.

And our correspondent Battalyshevchenko,

who's in Kiev, has managed to speak to a senior drone commander involved in those attacks

on St Petersburg today. He sent this report.

Yvhen Karas, commander of the 413th Regiment of Ukraine's unmanned systems forces,

told me that Russian air defences had been struggling to intercept his drones.

Operations in St. Petersburg and operations in occupied Crimea.

And in both directions, north and south, we fly in Russia like it's our own territory.

Almost no resistance, not hard to reach a target.

And it seems very bright predictions for future

what we can do in occupied or Russian territory

to press Putin to stop a war.

...