An overnight Ukrainian drone attack on an oil depot near Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi led to a significant fire, according to Russian officials on Sunday. The incident highlighted the ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia, as both nations have resumed their military strikes against one another. Following the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a forthcoming prisoner exchange between the two countries.
More than 120 firefighters were deployed to extinguish the blaze caused by debris from a downed drone hitting a fuel tank, as reported by Krasnodar regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev on Telegram. Videos circulating on social media captured dramatic scenes of thick smoke rising from the oil depot. In response to the attack, Russia's civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, temporarily halted flights at Sochi's airport.
Further north in the Voronezh region, another Ukrainian drone strike resulted in four individuals being wounded. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its air defenses managed to shoot down 93 Ukrainian drones over Russia and the Black Sea since the previous night.
In a related incident in southern Ukraine, a Russian missile strike affected a residential area in the city of Mykolaiv, leading to injuries for seven individuals, according to the State Emergency Services. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian air force reported that Russia launched 76 drones and seven missiles against Ukraine, managing to intercept 60 drones and one missile, while 16 drones and six missiles successfully hit targets across eight locations.
The recent exchanges of attacks occur at the end of one of the deadliest weeks in recent months for Ukraine, following a major Russian drone and missile assault on Thursday that led to the deaths of 31 individuals, including five children, and injured over 150 others. This escalation comes amidst a backdrop of political pressure, particularly after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a tighter deadline of August 8 for progress in peace negotiations between the two countries. Trump has indicated that new economic sanctions may be imposed on Russia if there are no notable advances in negotiations, while expressing skepticism about the efficacy of such measures.
Trump described the Russians as “wily characters” adept at circumventing sanctions, and he stated that his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, might travel to Russia later this week—just before the newly established deadline.
President Zelenskyy announced on Sunday that Ukraine and Russia have reached an agreement to exchange 1,200 prisoners following negotiations that took place in Istanbul in July. He noted on X that the lists of individuals to be exchanged are currently being finalized, emphasizing efforts to “unblock the return of our civilians.” As of yet, there has been no immediate response from Russia regarding the prisoner exchange.
Zelenskyy also mentioned discussions with senior Ukrainian officials regarding the diplomatic avenue, particularly focusing on implementing agreements reached during the Istanbul meetings and preparations for a new round of talks. Despite the progress in prisoner exchanges as a result of the talks, there has been no significant advancement toward achieving a ceasefire.
For ongoing updates on the situation in Ukraine, further coverage can be found at AP News.
