A drone attack from Ukraine has ignited a significant fire at an oil depot in the Russian city of Sochi, according to regional authorities. The incident, which occurred early on Sunday, has mobilized over 120 firefighters to combat the blaze resulting from the strike on a fuel tank with a capacity of 2,000 cubic metres, as reported by Russia’s RIA news agency.
In its daily morning update, the Russian Defence Ministry indicated that its air defense units had destroyed 93 Ukrainian drones overnight, including one over the Krasnodar region, where Sochi is located. The ministry’s reports, however, do not specify the total number of drones launched by Ukraine. In response to the attack, Rosaviatsia, the civil aviation authority in Russia, temporarily halted flights at Sochi’s airport to ensure passenger safety. Flights resumed at 02:00 GMT on Sunday.
The Ukrainian drone strike targeted the Adler district of Sochi, an area that has seen limited assaults throughout the ongoing conflict since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Governor Veniamin Kondratyev confirmed the attack’s location and noted its significance to Moscow’s war efforts. Notably, a previous drone strike in the Adler district resulted in the death of a woman late last month.
The Krasnodar region is also home to the Ilsky refinery, one of the largest in southern Russia, which has frequently been targeted in prior Ukrainian drone operations. Additionally, on the same day as the Sochi incident, reports emerged from the Voronezh region, where four people sustained injuries due to another Ukrainian drone strike. This strike resulted in several fires, while Russian forces launched a missile attack on Kyiv, according to the military administration of the Ukrainian capital.
The Russian Defence Ministry claimed to have intercepted and destroyed 18 Ukrainian drones over the Voronezh region, which borders Ukraine. These reciprocal strikes follow a tragic day of mourning in Kyiv after a Russian drone and missile attack on Friday killed 31 individuals, including five children, and injured over 150 others.
These developments come amid ongoing international discussions regarding the conflict. On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump set a deadline of August 8 for progress in peace negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump announced that special envoy Steve Witkoff would travel to Russia to advocate for a ceasefire and warned of potential new economic sanctions if negotiations do not advance.
In Ukraine, public unrest has been rising, particularly regarding military mobilization efforts. On Friday, demonstrators gathered in the city of Vinnytsia to demand the release of individuals detained by military enlistment offices. The regional military recruitment center reported that a group of conscripts was being held for medical examinations related to mobilization. Tensions escalated as civilians attempted to enter the temporary assembly point, leading to confrontations with authorities.
As the conflict continues into its fourth year, Russian forces currently control nearly 20 percent of Ukraine’s eastern and southern territories, marking a prolonged and challenging phase in the ongoing war.
