Putin Avoids European Russia Amid Rising Drone Threat

Russian President Vladimir Putin is increasingly avoiding travel to the European regions of Russia, instead favoring trips to Siberia and the Far East where the risk of Ukrainian drone strikes is significantly lower, Russian outlet Agentstvo reported. According to local media citing regional sources, Putin is expected to visit the Novosibirsk region next week. This would mark his fifth regional trip since resuming domestic travel in June, with only one of those destinations located in Russia’s vulnerable European territory.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. While the exact dates of the Novosibirsk visit have not been announced, the Kremlin chief is expected to meet with regional Governor Andrey Travnikov and tour the new campus of Novosibirsk State University. Agentstvo noted that aside from heavily guarded areas where his residences are located – such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Valdai – and a brief trip to Kazan for an international summit, Putin is actively steering clear of western Russia. Deadly interception near Black Sea estate The shift in Putin’s travel itinerary reflects the reality that even the airspace near the president’s most highly secured private residences is no longer safe from the reach of Ukrainian drones. On August 3, four people – including a child – were killed and 10 others were wounded after a drone fell on a crowded beach in Arkhipo-Osipovka, a resort village in the Krasnodar region. The beach is located just 22 kilometers from the luxury Black Sea estate widely known as “Putin’s Palace.” Other Topics of Interest Ukraine Strikes 6 Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Vessels, 10 Energy Facilities in 48 Hours Ukraine’s drone forces hit 102 Russian targets, including six vessels, energy sites, air defenses and logistics facilities. Russian authorities blamed Ukraine for the attack. Witness accounts and video footage indicated that the drone abruptly changed direction and crashed after being engaged by a Russian mobile fire group positioned directly on the beach. Independent monitoring channels reported that the drone’s intended target was likely a nearby private recreation facility associated with NPO Mashinostroyeniya, a major sanctioned Russian defense enterprise that develops cruise missiles and military spacecraft. The drone reportedly crashed just 300 meters short of the facility, where missile designers were allegedly staying. The proximity of the strike to Putin’s sprawling, 100-billion-ruble ($1.35 billion) palace compound highlights the growing reach of Ukraine’s deep-strike campaign. The estate, which is surrounded by a 7,000-hectare buffer zone controlled by the Federal Security Service (FSB) and protected by a strict no-fly zone, was the subject of a 2021 anti-corruption investigation by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.