Sochi has long been Vladimir Putin’s favorite resort on the Black Sea. In 2014, it hosted the Winter Olympics, largely seen around the world as a crowning moment for Putin’s Russian premiership.
But now, over a decade later, Sochi has been regularly bombarded by Ukraine.
Putin in 2018 Russian Federation Photo
Putin Back in 2016 Image Credit Russian Federation
The Financial Times wrote about this this week, noting that a Moscow hairdresser recently posted an Instagram video from the resort town before an air raid siren interrupted it.
This was about a week before a drone fell on the beach in Arkhipo-Osipovka, also on the Black Sea, a deadly attack that killed seven people, including four children, and injured dozens more.
It’s all become sadly typical in Sochi and other nearby areas.
“Air-raid sirens, drone interceptions, fires, fuel in the water and queues for petrol have all become part of summer holidays for many Russians,” FT reported, adding that while the Black Sea has many of Russia’s most popular summer resorts, it also has lots of “oil refineries and tanker terminals,” many of which have been struck by Ukraine’s drones.
A Hit to Tourism
According to the FT story, which cited an area hoteliers’ association called AMOS, tourism in the area has dropped by 10.8 percent this year.
More importantly, Putin himself has avoided the area this summer.
The president, who has a residence in Sochi and a palace in Gelendzhik, hasn’t been spotted in either place since last year.
In 2021, the year before the war started, Putin visited Sochi more than 20 times.
Since then, he’s been coming much less often, FT reported, including no visits at all this year.
Putin, the report said, has spent most of his time in Moscow and St. Petersburg, traveling primarily in eastern Russia.
Why They Go to Sochi
According to the FT story, most Russians have never traveled abroad, and it’s become harder to do so in the last four years, after many countries stopped issuing tourist visas to Russians after the Ukraine invasion.
That has made Russians more likely to spend their vacations at home, in places like Sochi and other Black Sea resorts.
Now, 80 percent of Russians’ travel is in the country, FT said, citing the booking operator Ostrovok.
The attacks haven’t entirely deterred Russians from traveling to the Black Sea, one Russian told the Financial Times.
“Drones are flying all over the country,” a woman named Maria told the newspaper. “But people are so tired of living through this fucking nightmare that they just don’t care anymore. They simply want a change of scenery.”
Crimea, Too
Some stories, including one by the Kyiv Independent last month, have also noted how Ukraine’s attacks have upended summer travel plans in the occupied Crimea peninsula.
The Independent cited Russia’s pro-state newspaper Kommersant, which said nearly 80 percent of hotel bookings were canceled during a two-week period in late May and early June.
The Independent cited a tourist Telegram group, in which tourists in Crimea have had such complaints as “We spent the whole night in a shelter,” “As for fuel, I still recommend bringing some with you whenever possible,” and “The cafes are all open… but they ask for cash or a bank transfer; many cafes don’t have electricity.”
That story appeared at a time when Ukraine was actively seeking to cut off Russia’s supply lines and to turn the peninsula, occupied by Russia since 2014, “into an island.” Russia, ever since seizing Crimea 12 years ago, has marketed it as a tourist destination for Russians.
A separate story by Kyiv Post in late June had Ukraine’s defense ministry declare the beach season in Crimea “closed.”
“Weather forecast for tourists: unfavorable,” the ministry also declared at the time.
Another report this week said the lack of tourists, as well as disruptions to electricity, water and other amenities, has caused housing prices in Crimea to fall.
The Intent. press report said Russian propaganda declared that “Crimean housing is becoming more affordable” and that “prices have been adjusted.”
However, the report said, “real estate agents and residents themselves privately admit that the situation is catastrophic.”
About the Author: Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review, and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, national security, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
