The Ukrainian military has carried out several attacks on the Russian city of Sochi, with targets including a Russian ship hit by a naval drone and an oil depot.
The Ukrainian Navy released footage showing flames after the drone attack on the ship “Nefrit”.
According to her, the ship is part of the Russian maritime and energy infrastructure and is used for oil and gas-related operations, maintenance of offshore platforms, transportation of cargo and personnel, as well as underwater technical work.
Overnight, several Russian Telegram channels also posted footage of a fire at an oil depot, which is suspected to have erupted after an airstrike. According to local reports, the fire occurred in the center of Sochi, near the port, but the exact location has not been identified.
Other reports claim that one of the explosions occurred near a Russian Pantsir air defense system in the port. However, it is not clear whether the system itself was hit. Reports of this development have not been independently verified.
Ukraine is targeting Russian energy and maritime infrastructure as part of a strategy to strike Moscow’s funding sources and logistical lines.
According to data published by Kiev, dozens of Russian ships were hit in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov in July alone.
Sochi has special symbolic and strategic importance. The city is one of the favorite destinations of the Russian elite and is also the official summer residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Sochi is located about 650–700 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. /Telegraph/