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| Fire engulfs a Rosneft-operated oil depot near Sochi's Adler district. (Source: UNITED24 Media / Ivan Khomenko) |
Drone Debris Sparks Fire at Oil Depot in Sochi, Russian Officials Say
A fire broke out at an oil depot in the Russian city of Sochi early on Friday, after what Russian officials claim was a drone strike carried out by Ukraine. The incident occurred near the Adler district, close to the Black Sea coast. Local emergency services said the fire began when debris from a downed drone struck a fuel tank.
According to Krasnodar Region Governor Veniamin Kondratyev, around 2,000 cubic meters of fuel were stored at the facility. Over 120 firefighters were deployed to tackle the flames. No injuries have been reported, and the fire was eventually brought under control.
Operations at Sochi’s airport were temporarily suspended in response to the fire, but flights resumed later in the day after the situation was stabilized.
One of Several Drone Incidents
Russian officials stated that the attack on Sochi was part of a larger wave of Ukrainian drone activity over the weekend. Other cities reportedly targeted include Ryazan, Penza, and Voronezh. In Voronezh, four people were said to have been injured in one of the strikes.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed its air defenses intercepted 93 drones overnight, with most activity concentrated over the Black Sea region. Ukraine has not commented directly on the Sochi incident, maintaining its usual silence on cross-border operations.
Strikes Continue on Both Sides
While drone activity targeted Russian infrastructure, Ukraine also came under fire. A missile strike in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv damaged residential buildings and public infrastructure. Local officials reported at least seven people injured, with several taken to the hospital.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched a combined wave of drones and missiles overnight, claiming it shot down 61 out of 83 aerial threats. Sixteen drones and six missiles reportedly struck various targets across eight regions of Ukraine.
Rising Civilian Toll and Political Pressure
This latest series of attacks comes after a deadly strike on Kyiv earlier in the week, in which at least 31 people were killed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded by calling for tougher international sanctions against Russia. Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump, who is running for office again, warned of upcoming penalties against Moscow if it does not agree to a ceasefire by August 8.
Sochi, best known as a tourist destination and host of the 2014 Winter Olympics, has rarely seen military activity during the conflict. This attack highlights Ukraine's increasing use of long-range drones to target fuel and logistics hubs deep inside Russia.
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