Russia Claims Destruction of 93 Ukrainian Drones as Sochi Oil Depot Fire Rages

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Russian authorities reported that 93 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were intercepted overnight, including one over the Krasnodar region and 60 above the Black Sea, amid a broader cross‑border escalation. A major fire broke out at an oil depot near Sochi after drone debris struck a fuel tank, prompting the deployment of 120 firefighters. Flights at Sochi Airport were briefly suspended before normal service resumed.

The Russian Defence Ministry announced that its air defence units downed 93 Ukrainian drones in a single night, including at least one over the Krasnodar region and many others over Black Sea waters. This tally aligns with reported locations targeted during the strikes.

At the same time, an overnight Ukrainian drone strike caused a blaze at an oil depot in the Krasnodar region, near the resort city of Sochi. Governor Veniamin Kondratyev stated the fire was ignited when drone wreckage collided with a fuel tank. More than 120 firefighters were dispatched, and officials confirmed the situation was brought under control by early Sunday.. Sochi Airport suspended operations briefly before domestic and international flights resumed, according to aviation authority Rosaviatsia.

Further drone activity was reported further north, where a strike in the Voronezh region injured at least four people and started fires in local facilities. In addition, the Kremlin claimed its forces intercepted 18 UAVs over that region.

Meanwhile, Ukraine reported that Russian forces launched 76 drones and seven missiles overnight. Ukraine’s Air Force stated that 60 drones and one missile were neutralised, while 16 drones and six missiles struck targets across eight locations, including Mykolaiv, where a missile strike injured seven people in a residential area.

The Sochi depot fire marks one of the most significant Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure since the start of the conflict. While the Kremlin denies fatalities, there were no reported casualties in Sochi from the incident. This reflects a growing cross‑border capacity for long-range UAV penetration into rear‑area installations.

Kremlin-aligned outlets credited Russia’s air defence systems with quickly neutralising the threat, emphasising the protection of “critical infrastructure” and safeguarding public safety in resort regions historically regarded as non-belligerent zones.

Ukraine did not offer immediate comment on the Sochi incident. However, it has consistently asserted that it retaliates for sustained Russian attacks on its national power grid and civilian areas. In Kyiv, officials condemned Russian missile strikes that killed 31 people, including children, earlier in the week, and reiterated calls for increased international military aid and sanctions.

Both countries have agreed to conduct a prisoner exchange involving 1,200 individuals following talks in Istanbul, although no ceasefire has been secured. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a deadline of 8 August 2025 for progress toward peace negotiations, threatening further sanctions if Moscow fails to respond.