“Since midnight, the bombing hasn’t stopped. The sirens keep blaring outside,”
recalled a witness who took shelter during the attack. The resort town was set ablaze by falling drone debris. In Adler, wreckage landed on a garage cooperative, killing a woman and severely injuring another person, who was rushed to a hospital. The resulting fire spread across 200 square meters.
Kamikaze drones flew directly over civilians’ heads, and eyewitnesses captured the low-altitude flight of an An-196 “Lyutyi” drone on video. Smaller flashes were also seen in the night sky. Debris was reported on the highway leading to the New Adler Bridge.
Between 20:40 on July 23 and 01:40 on July 24, Russian air defense forces shot down 39 UAVs, intercepting 21 over the Black Sea, 11 over the Sea of Azov, and 7 over Krasnodar Krai. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces also attempted strikes on Crimea and Belgorod Oblast.
Oil Depot Hit, Dozens of Flights Delayed
Dmitry Plishkin, head of the federal territory of Sirius, confirmed that a Ukrainian drone struck an oil depot, sparking a fire. Residents and tourists were urged to avoid the area by car or on foot due to safety concerns.
As of 08:50 AM, 63 flights were delayed at Sochi Airport. Passengers on 29 planes were waiting for departure, while 34 flights were waiting to land. Flight restrictions were lifted around 3:00 AM.
