Two women have been killed in a strike on Sochi, officials say

Ukrainian drones targeted the Black Sea resort city of Sochi and the nearby Sirius educational hub in southern Russia early on Thursday, local officials have said.

Veniamin Kondratyev, the governor of the Krasnodar Region which came under attack, reported that two women were killed when an intercepted drone fell to the ground. Elsewhere, a total of 11 people were wounded, with four of them sent to hospital for treatment, the official said.

One drone hit an oil terminal in the Sirius federal territory, according to Mayor Dmitry Plishkin. The district, established in 2020, serves as a technological and educational hub, as well as a training center for young athletes.

Telegram news channels reported that students and tourists were evacuated to shelters and underground parking lots. Locals described hearing air raid sirens and up to 20 explosions across different parts of Sochi.

READ MORE: ‘Ukrainian agent’ caught in Russia was recovering explosive device – FSB

The latest strike occurred just hours after Russia and Ukraine concluded a third round of talks in Istanbul, during which Moscow proposed short truces to allow both sides to evacuate wounded troops and recover bodies from the battlefield.

According to top Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, Moscow also proposed a new prisoner swap involving at least 1,200 POWs from each side and offered to return the bodies of 3,000 more fallen Ukrainian soldiers.