Putin’s Valdai meeting in Sochi canceled at the last minute over drone threat
Photo: Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
The meeting of the Valdai international discussion club, with the participation of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, was urgently moved from Sochi to the Moscow region due to the risk of drone attacks, reports the Financial Times.
The venue for Vladimir Putin's "key foreign policy meeting" was changed at the last minute at the insistence of the FSB. Four sources told the media that the decision was made due to security concerns amid increased attacks by Ukrainian drones.
No official comments from the Kremlin were received regarding the reasons for changing the location of the event involving Putin.
Putin avoids trips to Sochi
The Russian president has not visited Sochi since last year, when the previous Valdai meeting was held there. Before the full-scale war, he traveled there much more often — for example, in 2021, he visited 24 times.
Strikes on Sochi intensified this summer and continue in September. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are attacking the port's waters with unmanned boats, while aerial drones are striking facilities on the waterfront.
On the night of September 10, the Russian city of Sochi came under a massive attack by drones and unmanned boats. As a result of the strikes, a fire broke out on the waterfront.
That evening, a performance by Russian singer Tatyana Bulanova was taking place in Sochi. She has openly supported Russia's war against Ukraine since 2022. Due to the drone attack, her concert was stopped early.
