Ukrainian Drone Attack Ignites Blaze at Sochi Oil Depot
A Ukrainian drone attack on an oil depot in the Russian city of Sochi has ignited a significant fire, prompting a response from over 120 firefighters. Regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev reported the incident early on Sunday via the Telegram messaging app. The blaze originated from a fuel tank with a capacity of 2,000 cubic meters (approximately 70,000 cubic feet), according to emergency officials cited by Russia’s RIA news agency.
The drone attack is part of a broader strategy by Ukraine to target infrastructure within Russia that it considers vital to Moscow’s military operations. The incident occurred in the Adler district of Sochi, a coastal city that previously hosted the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. While drone attacks on Sochi have been infrequent since the onset of the conflict initiated by Russia in February 2022, this latest strike underscores the ongoing hostilities between the two nations.
In response to the attack, the Russian defense ministry reported that its air defense units destroyed 93 Ukrainian drones overnight, including one over the Krasnodar region and 60 over the Black Sea. This figure does not clarify how many drones Ukraine launched. In an effort to ensure air safety, Rosaviatsia, Russia’s civil aviation authority, temporarily suspended flights at Sochi’s airport, resuming operations at 02:00 GMT on Sunday (10 p.m. ET, Saturday).
The fire at the oil depot adds to the tension in the region, where the Krasnodar area is home to the Ilsky refinery, one of the largest in southern Russia and a recurrent target of Ukrainian drone strikes. Just last month, a Ukrainian drone attack in the Adler district resulted in the death of a woman, highlighting the human cost of this ongoing conflict.
In another incident on the same day, the governor of Voronezh region reported that four individuals were injured in a Ukrainian drone strike, which also caused multiple fires. Concurrently, Russian forces launched a missile attack on Kyiv, according to the military administration of the Ukrainian capital. The Russian defense ministry indicated that its units had destroyed 18 Ukrainian drones over the Voronezh region, which borders Ukraine.
This series of attacks and counterattacks reflects the enduring volatility in the region, as both sides continue to engage in aerial assaults that have significant implications for civilian safety and regional stability.
