Russia's Sochi under 'unprecedented' 24-hour mass Ukrainian drone attack, mayor says
The Russian Black Sea town of Sochi has been under massive and repeated drone attack over the past 24 hours, Mayor Andrey Proshunin said on March 11.
"Today, we encountered an enemy attack unprecedented in length on the resort town, Sochi," he wrote on his Telegram channel.
"It has continued almost a full day with small breaks."
The air raids have also closed down Sochi's airport. Planes are facing full-day delays as of press time, cutting off travel for tourists heading to or from the beach.
Prior to Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, seaside Sochi was the premiere vacation destination within Russia. Russia held the Winter Olympics that year just weeks before the initial invasion of Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin keeps a vacation home in Sochi, though he reportedly no longer travels there due to safety concerns.
While Sochi sounded air raid alerts several times between March 10 and March 11, Proshunin has reported no casualties. By his account, air defense downed one drone over a residential home, causing a fire but not injuring residents.
"The opponent's attacks today have imposed adjustments to our usual life as residents of Sochi, and as guests of the resort," Proshunin wrote. "Because of this, solidarity and the correct reaction of residents and guests of the city are very important. I ask all to maintain peace and observe safety rules. The threat on Sochi territory remains."
While this recent attack is extensive, this is not the first time Ukrainian strikes have reached Sochi.
In August, a Ukrainian drone hit a Sochi oil depot, starting a fire. A reported Ukrainian drone strike on Sochi overnight in September coincided with Putin's working visit to the city.
