Russian air defense forces reportedly intercepted and destroyed 479 Ukrainian drones overnight on October 11, with Sochi among the cities targeted. A fire broke out at the city’s airport during the attack, disrupting operations and delaying dozens of flights.

Major General Sergey Lipovoy, a Hero of Russia, commented on the incident and explained why the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Region remains vulnerable to Ukrainian drone strikes.

According to Lipovoy, Sochi Airport has long been an attractive target for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The region’s geographical position allows Ukrainian forces to direct unmanned aerial vehicles toward Russian facilities from the direction of Odessa, Nikolaev and Ochakov.

The general identified these three areas as possible directions from which drones targeting the Krasnodar coast could be launched.

Lipovoy explained that the UAVs follow routes over the Black Sea at low altitude before climbing and approaching their targets. This flight pattern is among the methods used in attacks on Russia’s southern coastal region.

The major general also addressed ongoing Russian military operations against Ukrainian infrastructure. He stated that Russian forces regularly strike facilities supporting Ukraine’s military capabilities.

Among the targets he identified were defense industry enterprises, command posts, concentrations of Ukrainian troops and military equipment, and energy facilities supplying the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

According to Lipovoy, Russian strikes against these military-related facilities are continuing alongside efforts to counter Ukrainian drone attacks.