SOCHI: Ukrainian sea drones injured 28 people and damaged parts of the beachfront infrastructure in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, while drone attacks in Makhachkala on the Caspian Sea caused fires and explosions late Wednesday, Russian officials said, as Ukraine’s expanding drone campaign increasingly reaches targets far from the front lines.
Authorities in Russia’s Krasnodar region reported the injuries in a post on Telegram but did not immediately provide further details about the condition of those hurt. The attack also caused partial damage to facilities along the popular seaside resort. Video shared on social media appeared to show gunfire followed by a blast along the Sochi waterfront, while people could be heard screaming in the background.
All those injured received the necessary medical assistance. Three adults and one child currently remain in hospital, the regional authorities said. The incident highlights the growing reach of Ukraine’s attacks against Russia.
Ukrainian forces have carried out frequent drone strikes against Russian territory, including attacks deep inside the country aimed at energy facilities, transportation networks and other logistics infrastructure.
Maritime drone attacks, however, have been less common than aerial strikes. Sochi is one of Russia’s most prominent Black Sea resort destinations and hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics.
The city is also home to an official residence used by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The attack comes amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia had previously annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, another strategically important area along the Black Sea, in 2014. The latest strike underscores the widening geographic scope of the conflict as attacks increasingly reach locations well beyond the battlefield.
