Blast sparks oil depot blaze near Putin’s Sochi resort as ‘Olympics city hit by Ukraine kamikaze drones for first time’

A MASSIVE explosion rocked an oil depot near Putin’s palace on the Black Sea today. Shocking footage showed huge flames and thick black smoke pouring into the sky from a giant fuel tank in the Russian resort of Sochi – a popular tourist spot. Locals said there was an explosion sounding like a ‘clap of thunder’ before the 5am infernoEast2West It’s thought the Russian city of Sochi was targeted for the first time by a Ukrainian kamikaze drone strike. Locals said there was an explosion sounding like a “clap of thunder” before the 5am inferno. Thick black smoke wafted over the city – but officials said the fire had not impacted on air traffic at Sochi airport. Dozens of firefighters were called to the scene.  Krasnodar regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev said more than 60 firefighters were on scene battling the blaze. “The reasons for the incident are being clarified,” he said. The tank contained 1,200 tons of diesel, according to a report.  Viktor Alksnis, a politician known as the Black Colonel, suggested Ukraine was targeting Putin’s official residence Bocharov Ruchey. It’s where the Kremlin leader met Belarus ally Alexander Lukashenko at the weekend.  Putin, 70, routinely runs his government from Sochi – especially in the summer months. It’s also the base of his lover Alina Kabaeva, 40, who presides over an elite gymnastics academy in the resort.  “It seems that the favourite vacation spot of the President of the Russian Federation, the Bocharov Ruchey residence near Sochi, will become inaccessible for security reasons,” Alksnis said. “Ukraine is conducting a real hunt for Putin.  “If indeed in this case it was an attack by a Ukrainian drone, then the Bocharov Ruchey residence is already the third attempt to attack the official residences of the president with a UAV. “The first attack was on May 3 on the Kremlin, the second on September 5 at Zavidovo.” THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY… The Sun is your go to destination for the best celebrity news, football news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Download our fantastic, new and improved free App for the best ever Sun Online experience. For iPhone click here, for Android click here.  Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheSun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.