Russian oil terminal and data centre in St Petersburg ablaze as Kyiv launches massive drone attack after Trump's decision to waive sanctions and 'slow down' satellites

A Russian oil terminal and a data centre in St Petersburg were set ablaze after Ukraine launched a massive drone attack despite Donald Trump's decision to waive sanctions and 'slow down' satellites.

One person was killed and five injured in the strike with fires spreading to industrial warehouses in the city, governor Alexander Beglov said on Sunday.

Russian e-commerce company Ozon said its logistics hub in St Petersburg was on fire while a data centre in the Leningrad region owned by internet company VK was also attacked.

Vladimir Putin's air defence units downed 1,015 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions overnight, the country's Defence Ministry said. 

Russia's state-run TASS news agency also reported disruption to departures at the main airport, Pulkovo. 

The attack looks set to increase tensions between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his American opposite number Mr Trump.

The US President this week signed an executive order to block 'hellish sanctions' passed by Congress against Russia over the conflict.

The proposed 500 per cent tariffs on Russian energy resources had looked set to complicate his plans to increase supplies of Putin's diesel to the global market.

A Russian oil terminal and a data centre in St Petersburg were set ablaze after Ukraine launched a massive drone attack

Smoke rises above the city following an air attack on the oil terminal in Saint Petersburg 

Mr Trump hopes to lower fuel prices in the US ahead of the crucial American midterm elections on November 3.

The move followed the reported partial blocking of Starlink's internet service to the Ukrainian armed forces and threats to halt intelligence sharing with Kyiv, steps criticised by Mr Zelensky.

When Mr Zelensky this week resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries, the US President branded the moves a 'disgrace', adding  he was 'more difficult to deal with than [Vladimir] Putin'.

There is speculation their relationship is now at 'breaking point' and the latest attacks will have done little to ease the situation.

Pictures showed plumes of orange and black smoke drifting into the St Petersburg sky and illuminating the city. 

VK added that the company's services were now available to users as normal following the strike.

'A large-scale UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) attack continues to be repelled,' Drozdenko wrote on Telegram.

Debris fell on homes, cars and power lines, causing brief power outages, he said, but he did not report any injuries.

Governor Alexander Beglov said the Ukrainian attack triggered a fire at the Saint Petersburg Oil Terminal, which was hit by Ukraine in June.

Pulkovo was also restricting operations 'for safety reasons,' Mr Beglov said.

One person was killed and five injured in the strike with fires spreading to industrial warehouses in the city, governor Alexander Beglov said on Sunday

Pictures showed plumes of orange and black smoke drifting into the St Petersburg sky and illuminating the city

The attack follows quickly on from a relentless Ukrainian drone attack which prompted unprecedented airport chaos in Russia.

Ukraine flew dozens of drones into Moscow's airspace to deliberately wreak havoc.

Fury and frustration grew as travellers faced hours or even days of delays caused by Putin refusing to halt his war.

Footage showed angry passengers forced to sleep on floors at Moscow's four airports, which suffered more than 1,000 hours of closures this month.

Check-in staff were reduced to tears as Mr Zelensky started to carry out his threat to close the skies around the Russian capital.

Sheremetyevo Airport was hit by more than 100 disruptions on Saturday while Vnukovo Airport suffered 150 delays or cancellations.

Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin said: 'Seventy-five drones heading towards Moscow have been destroyed. Emergency services specialists are working at the crash sites.' 

On Monday, Kirill Dmitriev, special presidential envoy, described Mr Trump's decision to waive the US sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia's energy revenues as a 'historic moment'.

Mr Dmitriev said: 'The Trump administration's suspension of the Graham Act is an important and truly historic moment.'

He added that the sanctions would have caused 'serious damage first and foremost to the US economy and global markets'.

The Graham Act, named after the late senator Lindsey Graham, the primary backer of the legislation, was due to be implemented in two days, and was set to introduce sanctions on Russian officials, banks and a shadow fleet of tankers that keeps Russian energy moving.

Speaking to broadcaster Newsmax this week, President Trump blamed Mr Zelensky for the war, claiming he - not Putin - had 'destroyed' Ukraine. 

A huge crowd of passengers left stranded at an airport in Moscow after Ukrainian drone attacks this week caused flights to be delayed for hours 

In an interview with the Financial Times, the Ukrainian leader said the cutting off of US intelligence sharing and the simultaneous weakening of the Starlink satellite internet service was 'dangerous' for civilians.

He added: 'The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We’re done.'

'Well, I think that's a disgrace,' Trump said yesterday, adding that Kyiv's recent strikes were driving up global energy prices.

Ukrainians wanted a deal with Russia but 'they’re not going to do it with him,' he added. 'He says he wants to settle but he doesn’t. No, I’m not a big fan of Zelensky.'