St. Petersburg has been subjected to a major Ukrainian drone attack on the closing day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), according to regional authorities. More than 140 drones were downed in the early hours of Saturday, Leningrad Region Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko reported on social media, with no immediate reports of casualties or significant infrastructure damage.

The strike followed another drone attack on June 3—the opening day of SPIEF—which drew participants from more than 130 countries. An air alert was declared overnight, prompting residents to stay indoors and suspending operations at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport with dozens of flights delayed or diverted to other airports.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky had previously suggested in an open letter published two days earlier that Ukrainian drones could “pay a visit” to SPIEF. In the letter, he also called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet and discuss a conflict settlement.

Putin responded on Friday, stating there is no sense in meeting at present because Zelensky’s actions have made meaningful negotiations impossible. He criticized the tone of Zelensky’s message as “inappropriate and insolent” and reiterated that Russia remains open to negotiations with Ukraine only if the root causes of the conflict are addressed. Russian officials have also questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy following his presidential term expiring in May 2024 without a new election.