Valdai Forum Moved From Sochi to Moscow Region Over Drone Attack Fears
The annual Valdai Discussion Club meeting has been relocated from Sochi to the Moscow region due to security concerns linked to intensifying Ukrainian drone strikes. The Financial Times, citing four sources, reported that Putin's security service pushed for the venue change. The forum is scheduled for September 28 to October 1, with about 120 participants from 40 countries.
Key points
- Valdai annual meeting relocated from Sochi to Moscow Oblast
- Relocation driven by security concerns over Ukrainian drone attacks
- Financial Times reported the move, citing four sources
- Two sources said Putin's security service insisted on the change
- About 120 participants learned in August the venue had moved from Sochi to Moscow region
- Forum scheduled for September 28 to October 1, bringing 120 participants from 40 countries
- Putin's participation has not yet been announced
Why it matters
The venue change signals that the Kremlin now views even a flagship propaganda forum as exposed to Ukrainian long-range drones, underscoring how the expanding reach of Ukrainian strikes is reshaping security calculations for top Russian officials.
What happened
The annual Valdai Discussion Club meeting, traditionally held in Sochi, was relocated to the Moscow region. The Financial Times reported the move on September 15, 2026, citing four sources, two of whom said the venue change was insisted upon by the security service of Vladimir Putin. The Valdai Club announced its annual meeting on Monday, September 14. About 120 invited participants had received invitations to Sochi but learned in August that the venue would be in the Moscow region. The forum is scheduled to run from September 28 to October 1 and is expected to bring together 120 participants from 40 countries. Putin's participation has not yet been announced.
Background
Putin has not visited Sochi since the previous Valdai meeting in early October 2025, despite his residence being located there; in recent years he has visited only twice, compared with 24 times in 2021, before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since the start of the full-scale war, Putin has increased the staff of his security service (FSO) for the fourth time, expanding the central apparatus from 785 to 812 employees. A New York Times report from August 2026 said Putin's personal security has reached new levels of secrecy. According to the outlet 'Agentstvo', since the beginning of May, 170 people have been killed or wounded in Ukrainian attacks on the Black Sea coast of Krasnodar Krai, which includes Sochi, and Sochi has been among the targets of those strikes.