Explosion and fires in Russian Sochi after Ukrainian drone attack – Heavy Russian personnel losses

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Ukrainian forces are reported to have attacked the Russian city of Sochi overnight, with reports of explosions and fires at several locations in the city.
According to reports, there was a large-scale drone attack against the city, which is a well-known resort on the Black Sea and is located about 650 to 700 kilometers from the Ukrainian border in Krasnodar Krai. The mayor has acknowledged that Russian air defense systems were active but otherwise does not seem to have said much more. Read more at Kyiv Independent.

Russian losses

The number of KWIA is far from a record but it is the second highest in 2026. The highest so far this year is 1710 (March 18), so it was close. Besides KWIA, losses were also high for artillery, UAVs, and soft vehicles.

  • 1700 KWIA
  • 1 Tank
  • 1 AFV
  • 74 Artillery systems
  • 7 MLRS
  • 2 Air defense systems
  • 2124 UAVs
  • 12 UGVs
  • 548 Vehicles and Fuel tanks
  • 2 Special equipment

Ukrainian General Staff Morning Report

Operational information as of 08:00 on September 14, 2026, regarding the Russian invasion

Glory to Ukraine!
The 1664th day of the Russian Federation’s full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine has begun.

In the past 24 hours, a total of 208 combat engagements were recorded.
Yesterday, the enemy conducted 90 airstrikes, during which 286 guided aerial bombs were dropped. Additionally, the attackers used 11,727 kamikaze drones and carried out 2,872 shellings against communities and our troops’ positions, including 45 with rocket artillery.

Hostile shelling affected, among others, the communities of Sopych, Korenok, Vilna Sloboda, Tovstodubove, Neskuchne, Yastrubyne, Pysarivka, Kindrativka, Mohrytsia, Bachivsk, Ulanove, Peremoha, Hirky, Bezsalivka, Rohizne, Neskuchne, Nova Sich, Marine, Oleksiivka, and Myropillia in the Sumy region, as well as Kliusy, Mykhalchyna Sloboda, Leonivka, and Buchky in the Chernihiv region. Tovstodubove, Esman, and Stetskivka were subjected to airstrikes.

In the past 24 hours, the defense forces’ aviation, missile units, and artillery struck two areas with concentrations of enemy personnel, six command posts and launch sites for unmanned aerial vehicles, five artillery systems and artillery positions belonging to the occupiers, as well as another important enemy target.

No enemy assault operations were recorded in the northern Slobozhansky and Kursk sectors during the past 24 hours. The attacker carried out 148 shellings against our troops’ positions and communities, including 10 with rocket artillery. The enemy also conducted four airstrikes with a total of 10 guided aerial bombs.

In the southern Slobozhansky sector, Ukrainian units repelled six attacks. The attackers tried to advance towards the communities of Kozacha Lopan, Hrafske, and Volokhivka, as well as near Lyman and Startsi.

In the Kupyansk sector, the enemy attempted to improve their positions on three occasions through assault operations towards Kivsharivka.

Attempts to break into our defense were repelled in the Lyman sector, where the occupiers conducted three attacks in the areas around Novoserhiivka and Novoselivka.

In the Slovyansk sector, the enemy conducted eight assault attempts near the communities of Yampil, Ozerne, Kryva Luka, Rai-Oleksandrivka, and Mykolaivka.

In the Kramatorsk sector, the Russian attackers launched an attack towards Yurkivka.

In the Kostyantynivka sector, 20 attacks were recorded. The attackers conducted assault operations near Kostyantynivka, Dovha Balka, Rusyn Yar, Toretske, and Kucheriv Yar, as well as towards Mykolaipillia.

In the Pokrovsk sector, the enemy conducted 26 attacks. The occupiers tried to advance towards Dobropillia, Myrne, and Serhiivka, as well as in the areas around Dorozhnie, Shevchenko, Udachne, and Novomykolaivka.

In the Oleksandrivka sector, the enemy conducted three assault attempts towards Ternove.

In the Huljajpole sector, the occupiers attacked our defenders’ positions eight times. The enemy tried to advance in the areas around Hirke and Charivne, as well as towards Rizdvianka.

In the Orikhiv sector, the enemy tried to improve their positions towards Chervona Krynytsia.

In the Prydniprovsk sector, the occupiers conducted no offensive operations.

No signs have been detected in the Volyn and Polissya sectors that the enemy is forming offensive force groupings.

In total, the Russian attackers’ losses over the past 24 hours amounted to 1,700 personnel. Additionally, one tank, one armored fighting vehicle, 74 artillery systems, seven multiple launch rocket systems, two air defense systems, 12 ground-based missile systems, 2,124 unmanned aerial vehicles, 548 vehicles, and two units of special equipment were neutralized.

Join the defense forces! Together we will prevail! Glory to Ukraine!

Comment:
The localized Russian attacks account for 79 out of a total of 208, and the unlocalized for 129, which is about 62 percent, giving a ratio of 129 / 79 ≈ 1.63.

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79 thoughts on “Explosion and fires in Russian Sochi after Ukrainian drone attack – Heavy Russian personnel losses”

  1. fedtmule

    As usual, an excellent and clear morning update from you MXT.

    1700 Russians have bitten the dust. That must be one of the highest numbers in a while, and my favorite, the knocked-out LV, continues to tick on.

    1. MXT

      Thank you very much!

      Yes, we have to go all the way back to the beginning of 2025 to see KWIA more regularly and above this level.
      There are two occasions after that where we reached ~1700 but the interesting thing is that today’s 1700 is not just a coincidence.

      Since March this year it has increased (even though it stalled and decreased a bit during April and May).

      This is how it looks since January 1, 2025, and if it continues, soon 1700 will no longer be unusually high but everyday fare:

    1. MXT

      Yes, the election didn’t feel like much of a highlight.

      That the left would probably win was something most forecasts had predicted, but then I had at least hoped that V would lose significantly and that the Center Party would instead get their votes. Both so that the Social Democrats wouldn’t have to depend on V, but also to push the politics more to the right.

      It is not 100% decided yet, but I suspect the result will hold even if a few mandates might shift.

      1. 205

        Either V, SD, or C will back down (in one direction or the other, depending on whether V or SD backs down). If both SD and V back down, C will gain a strong kingmaker position. Then, of course, a centrist option with S is formed regardless of SD or V. This then depends on L’s and KD’s stance, and KD has already indicated their position, while L is probably not so firmly anchored in Tidö.

        1. Umlaut

          KD has hinted that in an “exceptional” situation they could join forces with S. KD is probably the only one in Tidö who has not promised ministerial posts to SD. L is probably more constrained there, and could likely face more (yet another) betrayal debate about their commitments. 

          I have personally never liked Ebba Busch, experienced her as more “American evangelical Christian,” rather than the Pentecostal pastor vibe of Alf Svensson and the all-American fun Göran Hägglund. But Ebba has proven to be a real political animal, even if the party’s numbers don’t quite reflect that.

          1. 205

            Well, internally, as well as through external pressures, L’s commitment to Tidö is not so firmly anchored; on the contrary, it would at least internally be a relief to let go of promises, and the loss of prestige outwardly would be minimal (compared to the external pressure). One mainly has an angry SD to deal with, as well as moderate accusations of betrayal. In the long run, it may not be an optimal solution. SD can continue to grow, and L can expect zero support votes from M/SD in a future election (or a new election if it comes to that).

             

            One might perhaps get away with withdrawing their votes and refraining from demands to enter government (only S, KD, and C – what do we have %, including withdrawn votes from L?) or other demands.

            1. Pehr

              I don’t think L will blink first. In the event of a possible re-election, they won’t be punished if they have been principled. However, I think KD has less to fear. Still, that’s not enough to give Magda a majority without V, and I don’t think they are prepared to go that far in a hurry.
              C has wavered before. They are probably the weakest party, and V also has a party congress decision to vote against all governments they are not part of.
              Exciting times, to say the least.

              1. Lasse W

                I believe C has difficulty switching political sides. They have many voters who belong to the elite within culture and media. What one might call the foie gras proletariat. They are ideologically driven and do not want to belong to the bourgeoisie.

              2. Umlaut

                I believe we will see a C+S government that is tolerated by MP+KD+L. A weak government, which will sometimes be overruled when the parliament forms other majorities. In a way, it’s fair to S who, together with MP, V, and SD, broke Swedish budget practice by starting to break out items from the budget framework.

      2. SneakyPete

        A centrist government (C L M KD) is probably best for the country, especially since Swedes like consensus. But just because it benefits Sweden doesn’t mean it benefits the politicians who need to market themselves.
        (S+M in coalition would have been best of all but is unreasonable according to the above, so I will skip mentioning it).
        The question is how on earth will C and SD be made to understand this??????? It probably depends a lot on SD’s internal analysis of the decline. Will they blame Tidö for the decrease (not the truth in my opinion), or will they realize that people don’t want them in government and that their thing is to be able to stand aside and shout.
        C can easily say that now we have matured and can accept Tidö 2 because look how good we are, which means SD won’t get ministerial positions.

        Most likely not, unfortunately….

      3. Jan W

        As I wrote yesterday, I believe it cost quite a few votes to promise ministerial posts to the Sweden Democrats (“12 ministers”). Some potential voters did not want to see that. Kristersson could have said that we will deal with that after the election – like Andersson!?

  9. MXT

    Off-Topic, USA-Germany, Typhon’s and  Tomahawk’s 

    ** 🇩🇪🇺🇸🚀 POLITICO: Germany plans to spend nearly €3.4 billion on U.S.-made Typhon launchers and Tomahawk cruise missiles, giving the Bundeswehr its first ground-based long-range strike capability.

    Berlin wants to own and operate the system itself after Trump scrapped an earlier plan for U.S.-controlled Tomahawks in Germany. It is also seeking possible co-production and a role for European industry in the supply chain, though no deal has been finalized. **

    https://bsky.app/profile/maks23.bsky.social/post/3mvhmtlktf22v

  10. johan No.1

    It probably won’t take too long before C is part of the Tidö team 2.0 with SD as a supporting party, so the lock-in that people were worried about didn’t happen after all, and no chaos. I thought the speeches yesterday from Elisabeth and Ulf were early tentative moves.

    Don’t know if it will change, but voter turnout was 80% instead of 86%, which is surprising; one got the impression that every eligible voter wanted to do their part this year.

    The rest is noise and now we can move on, nice that the thread didn’t turn into a hate platform and bloc like some others. High profile.

    Now we are probably heading into a financial crisis and a neighboring area where RU either collapses or escalates, then it’s good to have a steady government that is used to cooperating and puts the big issues first.

    The USA will surely continue to be troublesome, LNG and oil shortages this winter, and a China that restricts certain exports.

    Sweden is not the EU but we are a country Russia has almost at the top of its list as a threat to their imperial ambitions.

    Soon Gripen will be flying in Ukraine.

    My post-election analysis will come, but apparently only one person voted for MXT Forward Party again this year, so no earthquakes in Gävle directly. Free chili nuts for everyone simply isn’t an election winner.

     

  11. MXT

    Off-Topic, the oil price and the war in Iran.

    “Oil prices are rising and global stock markets appear to be retreating after a weekend of continued conflicts in the Middle East. The development also comes after AI giants like Open AI and Anthropic warned that AI development may have progressed too quickly, writes Bloomberg.

    The Iran-backed Houthi movement has in recent days taken control over large parts of Yemen’s coast along the Red Sea, which could disrupt maritime traffic, writes TT. Norwegian E24 links the rise in oil to a drone attack on an important Saudi oil pipeline over the weekend. FT writes at the same time that several Gulf states are postponing planned talks about the Strait of Hormuz with Iran.

    The November contract for Brent oil climbs 2.5 percent this morning to just over 107 dollars per barrel.” https://omni.se/oljepriset-stiger-efter-ny-oro-i-mellanostern/a/5pKkKW

    Brent is up to 107 (and Crude at 102).

    20 minutes later it has already risen to 108 and 103 respectively, we will see where it ends during the day.

  12. johan No.1

    Nice graph MXT, the Russian bastards are bleeding out now, it’s clear.

    We’ll see if 205 manages to crawl up after the wet election night with some graphs 😀

    One SUFFERS with Ukraine every day but they are starting to gain the upper hand, one dead Russian bastard at a time.

  13. MXT

    ** Putin’s Kremlin gremlins are setting up a poll-temkin village across Russia in this week’s elections

    In keeping with Russia’s imperial history, President Vladimir Putin will spend the next week erecting a countrywide Potemkin Village.

    On Sept. 18-20, the man wanted by The Hague for war crimes will put on a sly smirk and attempt to fool the world with the country’s “elections.” All 450 seats of the Duma — Russia’s legislative body — will ostensibly be up for grabs, but the outcome is preordained. It will be a grotesque, choiceless farce. **

    Read more:
    https://nypost.com/2026/09/13/opinion/what-to-know-about-russias-elections-this-week/

  14. johan No.1

    Jo agrees with MXT, if S and C had moved forward strongly instead of V and MP it would also have been good, a centrist government left of center with L and KD where S could steer its policy more towards the center.

    One can only conclude that antisemitism and promises of more free money work well on the far edge as a vote magnet.

    Other parties were low, 1.6% or something like that but on the right Russia probably held on.

    Yuksel from Nyans resigned yesterday after a disastrous election.

    The Örebro party did not enter the parliament but did well in Örebro so Markus is probably satisfied.

    Don’t know how many voted for Afs but it was certainly few as usual.

    That we have a functioning democracy is clear, what a system with over 50,000 working through the night again. 

    1. fedtmule

      I saw a curiosity about which areas are strongholds for v…… and the proportion of inhabitants in these areas who have their roots in the Middle East is massive.
      So Johan, you are absolutely right in choosing to turn a blind eye regarding honor oppression and adopting a selective view on which women should be fully included in Swedish gender equality, and seasoning this with a hefty dose of antisemitism is clearly a success factor.
      That the Social Democrats can somehow consider looking the other way on this is something few doubt. Let us rather hope that the Centre Party is more principled and has a bit more self-respect and a bourgeois backbone.

  16. Proxima

    Rejoice with Simona. She deserves to achieve this success.
    The reason the Green Party went up was probably due to Romina Poumokhtari’s arrogance in trying to speak in a way that no one really understood what she meant. It went quickly, and I wonder if she herself understood what she said. Yngve Gamlin was a top-notch nonsense talker. But at least he was funny. You can’t say that about Romina. She has shown contempt for the voters through her “Yakity yak talk.”
    I myself voted for the party that at least used to be “the best for the majority.”
    If Hultqvist becomes defense minister, there will be no change other than another submarine being ordered (good) and that the regiment in Kalix fors (Kiruna) will likely be established.

    1. fedtmule

      Another submarine might be good, but it will end up at the back of the queue, as Poland’s order has the highest priority.
      Regarding the regiment in Kalixfors and the Kiruna area in general, the defense’s enthusiasm is lukewarm. This is because they prefer to concentrate training activities around existing establishments, and partly because it would be very difficult, if not impossible, both to recruit personnel and even harder to retain them. Since the mining industry absorbs all available labor and can easily outbid the Armed Forces in terms of both salaries and other conditions.

    2. MacMelmac

      Can we be sure of that? He would never join NATO! Yet he had to submit the application when MA steamrolled him.
      I have no trust in the blowhard from Borlänge since he stood with MA and indirectly told the Swedish people that if the Social Democrats don’t win the election, then democracy will fall! Damn fool!

  20. MXT

    ** 🇩🇪Russia has already identified potential targets in Germany for strikes — the list includes companies that produce and develop long-range drones for Ukraine, said MEP Schulenburg. He added that Putin may declare that the production of long-range drones for Ukraine is country’s “aggressive policy.”

    In addition to helping Ukraine, the Kremlin may “incriminate” the Germans. Regarding the UN Charter, Articles 53, 77, and 107 — the provision on “enemy states,” which after World War II applied to Germany and Japan. **

    https://bsky.app/profile/maks23.bsky.social/post/3mvhtgx4ajk27

  26. johan No.1

    After the Duma election, we will see Putin’s intentions for this year.

    September 21-22, right?

    Imagine if Ukraine or the Russian opposition has something planned for the elections 🤩🤩

     

  28. Jan W

    Good article in SvD today. Introduction: “The US president makes three fundamental mistakes in his view of the war between Russia and Ukraine. This is written by Fredrik Wesslau, senior expert at the think tank European Council on Foreign Relations.”

    I am tempted to quote large parts. Will try to summarize briefly. Although the article seems to be free. I can access it in incognito mode.

    1. Trump’s henchmen believe it is some sort of business deal. “They do not understand Russia’s imperialist great power ambitions in the neighboring countries. … It is not about control over Donbass; it is about whether Ukraine exists or not.”

    2. “The second mistake is that Trump and his envoys overestimate Russian power and underestimate Ukraine’s strength.”

    3. “The third mistake is that Trump believes he can reach an agreement without putting pressure on Russia. For an inconsistent man, his only consistent trait is his unwillingness to say anything critical about Putin or to put pressure on Russia.”

    The best we can hope for from Trump is that he sells weapons and shares intelligence.

    Even the latter has become doubtful. (My comment.)

    https://www.svd.se/a/GxR8Rq/fredrik-wesslau-kan-trump-makla-fred-for-ukraina

  31. MXT

    ** ❗️Finland has become the tenth European partner in France’s “extended” nuclear deterrence initiative: in the coming months they will set up a joint nuclear steering group for consultations and exercises, without joint final decision-making.

    President Stubb stressed that the main “umbrella” remains NATO/the United States, and that nuclear weapons will not be stationed on Finnish territory in peacetime. This is part of a new strategic partnership with France; the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, Denmark and Norway had already joined the initiative earlier. **

    https://bsky.app/profile/militarynewsua.bsky.social/post/3mvik66kv6k2u

    1. CB500four

      Hmm, have we heard Trump say something similar before, perhaps? Reminds me of all the times the US and Iran have had the agreements ready, or very close to ready, and then Iran said that discussions are not ongoing.

      He has a “bit” of difficulty distinguishing between fantasy and reality sometimes.  

  36. MXT

    WTF?!

    ** What a mess: The French-Slovak demand to remove Alisher Usmanov from the sanctions list has once again prevented a unanimous deal. Running out of time before the 15 Sept deadline, ambassadors agreed to extend the sanctions by *just one week* to continue negotiations. **

    ** French-Slovak veto deepens EU deadlock on Russia sanctions renewal

    The French-Slovak veto has forced EU ambassadors to extend sanctions on Russia for just one week in the hope of finding an agreement.
    The deadlock on the renewal of EU sanctions on Russia deepened on Monday after France and Slovakia, in a rare joint effort that has baffled Brussels, continued to demand the removal of Russian-Uzbek businessman Alisher Usmanov from the blacklist.**
    https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/09/14/french-slovak-veto-deepens-eu-deadlock-on-russia-sanctions-renewal

  38. MXT

    Off-Topic, high electricity price.

    But it still feels pretty good since it is at least partly due to us buying less and less Russian gas.

    Otherwise, there seem to be problems from wind and water to nuclear power. 🤷🏻‍♂️

    “On Monday evening, the electricity price set a record in the southernmost Sweden, reports TT. Between 19:30 and 19:45, electricity costs 8.98 kronor per kilowatt-hour. Gas prices have risen, which drives up the price on the continent. In addition, the water reservoirs are low and half of the nuclear power capacity is undergoing an annual inspection. ”The main reasons, besides the reasons above, are low wind power production combined with transmission outages,” writes Svenska Kraftnät in its weekly update on the electricity market situation. Later in the week, it is expected to be windier, and thus electricity prices will also fall.”

    https://omni.se/a/wr2JMn

  41. johan No.1

    There is one more thing, if C goes all-in with V which we don’t really believe but if,

    Then two members of parliament can always break away.

    Elisabeth probably also has a tightrope to walk.

    The same will surely happen if she tries with SD in government.

  42. DJ

    Speaking of the reader survey about Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Does anyone even remember their journey? It feels like the answer is clear – it didn’t happen. Now Trump is out negotiating on social media instead.

  45. MXT

    Good morning!

    1400 KWIA

    3 AFVs

    41 Artillery systems

    4 MLRS

    1 Air defense systems

    1839 UAVs

    11 UGVs

    376 Vehicles and Fuel tanks

    7 Special equipment

    SLAVA UKRAINI

    1. DJ

      A typical day, in other words. An incredible level they maintain!

      What do you think about the Russian election? My prediction is that voter turnout will be low because why not take the opportunity to recruit/pick people who walk away from the ballot boxes? Especially if they can see what people have voted for…

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