A downed Ukrainian drone sparked massive forest fires just miles from a mysterious Black Sea palace, The Moscow Times reported. The palace apparently belongs to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The emergency crews battled the forest fire in the southern Krasnodar region on Thursday, after the drone crashed near the resort town of Gelendzhik.
Local authorities said that the debris from a drone led to the fires in three separate spots near the village of Krinitsa, which is about 10 kilometres east of the palace.
As per reports, Russia has deployed air defence systems near Putin's palace and official residences to protect against long-range Ukrainian attacks.
#Ukraine: 5. A UA drone shot down on Aug 28th nr a village close to #Gelendzhik, RU, is reported to have started a fire which spread to 41.5 hectares (102.5 acres) & was just 3-4km (2 miles) from Putin's palace on Cape Idokopas on the Black Sea. Another fire started less than 1… pic.twitter.com/Ost0iNJIdn
— Peter Clifford Online (@PeterClifford1) August 29, 2025
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Local reports claimed that the forest fires spread just six miles from Putin's 190,000-square-foot compound at Cape Idokopas. But a report by an independent Russian investigative outlet, IStories, argued that the blaze was much closer to the palace, just two miles away.
The Moscow Times reported that the fire had spread to 17 hectares (42 acres), requiring more than 100 emergency personnel, by Thursday afternoon.
The local authorities have said that no casualties were reported. It's not certain if the palace was the main target.
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💥 Russia: Ukrainian drone was shot down just 10km from Putin's palace on the Black Sea coast.
— Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) August 28, 2025
A forest fire ensued, currently engulfing 32 hectares (79 acres) and growing. pic.twitter.com/2zxfVYigbS
Here's what we know about the Black Sea palace
The luxurious "Putin's Palace" was seen in a video released by Alexei Navalny in 2021. The video went viral, sparking controversy as it showcased a sprawling estate with lavish decor, allegedly gifted to Putin by wealthy friends.
However, another report by Russian TV presented a completely different picture, featuring concrete walls and a property undergoing extensive renovation.
The BBC spoke to several builders who worked on the site between 2005 and 2020, and they corroborated many of the allegations made in the Navalny video. During the interview, these builders confirmed that the palace was indeed built and refurbished during their tenure.
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