Satellite images show destroyed helicopters at Sochi after drone attack
Open-source imagery indicates a Ka-52 and Mi-28 were destroyed, and a Mi-8 damaged, following a Ukrainian drone strike on Sochi Airport on September 4, 2026.
Satellite imagery taken after Ukraine’s September 4, 2026, drone attack on Sochi Airport appears to show two Russian attack helicopters destroyed and a third damaged at the airport’s military parking area. The Telegram channel ‘Absolutely Reliable Source’ identified the aircraft as a Kamov Ka-52, a Mil Mi-28, and a Mil Mi-8-family helicopter that sustained damage.
NASA FIRMS data shows two clusters of thermal anomalies at Sochi International Airport on September 4, 2026. One aligns with the southwestern fuel-storage site, the other with the runway-side military flight line, according to comparison with satellite imagery.
Aircraft identifications and the extent of losses remain an open-source assessment. Reporting does not establish registrations, exact variants, or pre-attack condition.
Six fuel tanks were reportedly destroyed at the BATO fuel depot, and three tanks at a Lukoil depot were destroyed or damaged. Russian authorities acknowledged a fuel-depot fire. The Krasnodar region operational headquarters said drone debris damaged windows in Sochi and Sirius, with no casualties reported in a preliminary account.
Civilian operations were disrupted, with airport operations restricted.
Sources
- aerotime.aeroSatellite images appear to show Russian Ka-52, Mi-28 destroyed at Sochi Airport