Financial Times: Valdai Club meeting moved from Sochi to Moscow region over threat of Ukrainian strikes
The Valdai discussion club has moved its annual meeting from Sochi to the Moscow region because of the threat of strikes by Ukrainian forces, the Financial Times reported.
The Valdai discussion club has relocated its annual meeting from Sochi to the Moscow region due to threats of Ukrainian strikes, according to the Financial Times. Initially, participants received invitations with Sochi as the venue, but the organizers informed them of the change in late August, citing the Federal Protective Service's insistence on the relocation.
The meeting, themed "Responsibility for the Future: The Limits of the Possible or Possibilities Without Limit?" will take place from September 28 to October 1 in the Moscow region. This move underscores the growing danger posed by Ukrainian strikes in Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin rarely visits Sochi, one of his residences, only twice in the past two years, last attending in October 2025.
In contrast, Putin visited Sochi 24 times in 2021 before the onset of the full-scale war. The Valdai club, founded in 2004 by experts like political scientist Sergei Karaganov, gathers Russian officials, foreign politicians, and journalists for discussions. On September 9, Ukrainian forces launched drone attacks against Sochi, injuring around 30 individuals.
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