What is the St Petersburg forum, Putin’s economic outreach to the world?

Key points

• Some 20,000 guests from more than 130 countries are expected to attend the three-day St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), an annual gathering often described as the “Russian Davos”.
• This year’s event begins on Wednesday against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and Russia’s prolonged estrangement from much of the West.
• Hours before delegates arrived in the city, Ukrainian drones struck energy facilities in and around St Petersburg, according to Russian and Ukrainian authorities.
• The attacks, which took place roughly 16km (10 miles) from the forum venue, temporarily disrupted operations at the city’s airport, though the conference is proceeding as planned.
• The SPIEF has become far more than an economic conference for Moscow.