What Happened in Sochi? Two Dead and 11 Injured in Ukrainian Drone Attack

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Two fatalities and 11 injuries reported in Sochi drone attack.
- 39 Ukrainian drones intercepted by Russian air defense.
- Ongoing violence affecting civilians in the region.
- Russia accuses Ukraine of targeting innocent citizens.
- Calls for peace and protection of human lives.
Moscow, July 24 (NationPress) In a recent Ukrainian drone assault on Sochi, two individuals lost their lives and 11 others sustained injuries, according to the Krasnodar Krai operational headquarters' announcement on Thursday.
Krasnodar Krai, the Russian federal subject encompassing Sochi, experienced a significant drone onslaught overnight, as reported by Xinhua News Agency.
According to Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev on his Telegram channel, "The remains of a downed drone crashed in Adler district of Sochi. At the moment of impact, two women were in proximity, both succumbing to their injuries. The drone debris also struck an oil depot area, leading to a total of 11 injuries..."
The Russian Defence Ministry stated on Thursday that their air defence systems successfully intercepted 39 Ukrainian drones during five hours of overnight attacks.
From 8:40 p.m. Moscow time (1740 GMT) on July 23 to 1:40 a.m. Moscow time (2240 GMT) on July 24, air defence forces managed to intercept and destroy 39 fixed-wing drones targeting various regions, with seven intercepted over Krasnodar Krai, the statement revealed.
Simultaneously, Russia accused Ukraine of executing deliberate attacks aimed at civilians, reporting that seven individuals have been killed and over 120 injured, including 11 minors, from shelling and UAV strikes in the past week.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova detailed incidents of violence, stating, "On July 16, a woman was killed when an enemy drone targeted a private residence in Smorodino; a UAV assault on a combine harvester in Novostroevka-Pervaya injured the operator; and in Pritsepilovka and Novaya Tavolzhanka, three were injured from drone impacts."
She continued, "From July 17–22, drones targeted five civilian vehicles, resulting in one fatality and six injuries. On July 20, two were injured due to shelling and a UAV strike in Shebekino; a woman suffered injuries in Togobiyevka. On July 22, a civilian building in Ilek-Penkovka was completely demolished by enemy fire, injuring a woman and two teenagers."
Zakharova emphasized that Ukrainian forces persist in targeting unarmed Russian citizens engaged in everyday activities.
"On July 22, a drone strike on a private bus resulted in three civilian deaths and three injuries. Additionally, drone attacks on passenger vehicles in Gladkovka and Novaya Kakhovka injured three. Recently, we received reports of a Ukrainian drone strike in Sochi, resulting in one woman's death and at least one other injury," she noted.
"These strikes are not against military forces or equipment, but rather targeted terrorist actions against civilians," Zakharova asserted.
She stressed that even schoolchildren and young children are among those targeted, while Western nations continue to supply Ukraine with weapons, exacerbating the violence through increased mobilization efforts.