Russian President Vladimir Putin has changed the venue for a major international event from Sochi to Moscow due to concerns over Ukrainian drone attacks, the Financial Times reported on September 14, citing four sources.
According to the report, President Putin decided to relocate the Valdai Discussion Club meeting, scheduled for September 28 to October 1, amid security concerns. This event, which began in 2004, is a prominent forum for international affairs and foreign policy, featuring participation from Putin and other Russian leaders.
About 120 attendees who initially received invitations to the event in Sochi, located on the Black Sea coast where Putin's residence is situated, were informed last month of the venue change. Two sources indicated that this decision was made on the orders of Putin's security detail.
The change is attributed to the recent increase in Ukrainian drone attacks, which have raised the risk even in Sochi, a city relatively close to Ukraine. This summer, Ukraine targeted oil facilities near Sochi and other Black Sea resorts with drone strikes, causing significant damage. On September 11, an oil facility near Sochi International Airport was hit, leading to flight cancellations and plumes of black smoke rising over the city. According to the independent Russian media outlet Agentstvo, at least 19 people have died and 188 have been injured in the Sochi area since the tourist season began in May.
President Putin has not visited Sochi since the Valdai Discussion Club meeting in early October last year, and he has only made two visits to the area in the past two years. This is a stark contrast to 2021, the last year before he ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, when he visited Sochi 24 times, the Financial Times noted.
Meanwhile, the Valdai Discussion Club officially announced this year's event but did not mention the change of venue. The 23rd meeting will focus on the theme of how multilateral organizations can maintain international stability and predictability amid crises.
This venue change suggests that the Kremlin is increasingly concerned about the potential risks to President Putin from Ukraine's medium- and long-range drone attacks. The Ukrainian military has expanded its drone operations against Russia, reaching as far as Novy Urengoy, located more than 3,000 kilometers from Ukraine.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.