Ukraine’s military launched multiple waves of attacks on the Russian Black Sea resort city of Sochi between September 3 and 4, reportedly targeting maritime and energy infrastructure.

One of the reported attacks involved a naval drone striking a Russian vessel near the port. Video released by Ukraine’s Navy appeared to show the ship engulfed in flames following the attack.

The Ukrainian Navy identified the vessel as the Nefrit, saying it was involved in Russia’s maritime and energy infrastructure. According to the Ukrainian military, the vessel supports oil and gas operations, including servicing offshore facilities, transporting cargo and personnel, and conducting underwater technical work.

Later during the overnight hours of September 4, footage circulated on several Russian Telegram channels appeared to show a large fire at an oil-storage facility following an aerial attack. Local reports said the fire was located in central Sochi, near the port, although the specific facility involved has not been independently identified.

There were also separate reports of an explosion near a Russian Pantsir air-defense system deployed in the port area. It remained unclear whether the air-defense system itself was damaged or whether the explosion occurred nearby.

The reported attacks come as Ukraine increasingly targets Russian energy, maritime and logistical infrastructure in an effort to undermine Moscow’s ability to generate revenue and maintain supply lines for its military campaign.

Ukrainian forces have increasingly focused on vessels operating in the Black and Azov seas, particularly ships Kyiv associates with Russia’s so-called shadow fleet.

In July, Ukraine reported carrying out a series of attacks against Russian-linked vessels, including tankers, cargo ships and tugboats. Kyiv said that during a two-day period on July 21-22, its forces struck 13 vessels in the Black and Azov seas, including 10 cargo ships, two tugboats and a tanker.

The shadow fleet consists of vessels used to transport Russian oil while helping operators evade sanctions and obscure ownership. Ukrainian authorities identified more than 1,400 vessels associated with the network in a government register as of May 2026.

Many of the vessels are older ships operating under third-country flags, according to Ukrainian officials. Kyiv and Western governments have increasingly viewed the network as a key mechanism allowing Russia to continue exporting energy despite international sanctions.

The fleet is also considered an important source of income for Moscow, with estimates indicating that shadow-fleet vessels transport a substantial majority of Russia’s sanctioned oil exports. Ukraine argues that disrupting these maritime networks can reduce revenues available to the Kremlin to finance its war effort.

The latest attacks also highlight the growing importance of Sochi as a potential target for Ukrainian long-range operations.

Located on Russia’s Black Sea coast, Sochi is one of the country’s most prominent resort cities and a major center for tourism, maritime activity and energy infrastructure. The city is also closely associated with President Vladimir Putin, who maintains an official summer residence in the area.

Sochi lies roughly 650 to 700 kilometers from Ukrainian-controlled territory, putting it well beyond the range of conventional short-range weapons and underscoring the expanding reach of Ukraine’s drone campaign.

The attacks demonstrate Kyiv’s broader strategy of taking the war deeper into Russian territory by targeting infrastructure considered important to Moscow’s military and economic capabilities.

Russian authorities have yet to publicly provide a comprehensive account of the reported damage from the overnight attacks, while independent verification of the footage and the exact targets remains limited. (ILKHA)