A massive oil depot fire near Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi has been blamed by Moscow on an overnight Ukrainian drone attack.
Krasnodar region Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said drone debris hit a fuel tank, causing the fire. Emergency crews were quickly dispatched to the scene on Sunday, which was later put out. And flights at Sochi’s airport were suspended as a precaution.
Meanwhile, Russia bombed a key bridge in Ukraine’s southern city of Kherson, killing one man. The missile strike has left at least sevencivilians injured and destroyed multiple homes, according to reports from the region.
Russian authorities said this drone strike was one of several reportedly launched by Ukraine over the past weekend, targeting various cities in southern Russia.
They said installations were targeted in the central Russian cities of Ryazan, Penza, as well as Voronezh – not far from the border with Ukraine. The Voronezh regional governor said four people were injured in one drone strike.
Ukraine has not commented on the strikes. It has been targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure in retaliation to Russia’s sustained bombardment of Ukraine’s energy grid throughout the war.
Russia’s defence ministry said its air defences intercepted 93 Ukrainian drones overnight, 60 of which were over the Black Sea region.
The incidents follow a recent plea from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the international community to impose stronger sanctions on Russia, a call made after a separate missile attack on Kyiv that killed dozens of people.
US President Donald Trump condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine and suggested new sanctions against Moscow were coming.
In July, Trump said Putin had 50 days to end the war, or Russia would face severe tariffs targeting its oil and other exports.
On Monday, Trump set a new “10 or 12” day deadline. He later set a new deadline, which would expire on 8 August.
The escalating attacks highlight the intensifying conflict, with both sides continuing to target civilian and strategic infrastructure.
BBC
