The most notable individual to suffer in the conditions was Nicholas Latifi, who lost control of his Williams at Turn 4 and slammed into the barriers.
The Canadian was winded in the impact and took a few moments to wind down the engine and then evacuate the car, but he ultimately climbed out unaided.
The red flag was thrown for a second time with just a minute and a half on the clock due to the significant amount of debris on the track.
That pause effectively ended qualifying, consigning Latifi to 19th on the grid alongside Russell and Tsunoda, while Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin will start from the back.
The session will also be remembered for a tactical blunder by Mercedes, with the team opting to not send its drivers out for a second run in Q1 — a decision that left both Russell and Bottas vulnerable as the track improved.
Russell had been fastest after the first runs but was ultimately dumped out in 17th, while Bottas found himself eliminated in 12th after failing to improve on his second run.
The strategy meant that Mercedes was only represented by Russell in the segment for the first time since the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, and will have only one car in Q3 for the first time since the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix.
It will also mark the first time since the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix that Mercedes will not have at least one car on the front row.
Mercedes’ shock elimination was particularly significant amid its battle for position in the constructors’ championship with Alpine, which has both cars in the top eight.
Amid the chaos, Perez will start six places behind title rival Max Verstappen, setting Red Bull up for a difficult race as it bid to beat Mercedes to the constructors’ title.
The competitive picture at the front is equally intriguing after Ferrari’s surprising pace.
The result represents its first pole since the 2019 Mexican Grand Prix, and will mark Leclerc’s first race start from the front spot since the 2019 Russian Grand Prix.
Provided its quality advantage holds out, the front row lockout will also mark the first time that Ferrari has started 1-2 since the 2019 Australian Grand Prix.
The benefit of starting from the front was underlined in the previous race, where Verstappen managed to jump ahead of Hamilton and Leclerc after starting second, before going on to win.
Though it could be argued that Ferrari and Leclerc were underutilized in Sochi due to a strategy misstep, it is also possible that a prolonged tussle with Hamilton could have seen the race taken in a different direction.
Given Norris qualified third in Russia, the prospect of Verstappen and Hamilton trailing will likely bring Ferrari into play.
And in a four-way contest, starting up front could be exactly the advantage needed.
All of this makes for an enticing prospect on Sunday, with numerous subplots within a race that already looks unpredictable.
Be sure to follow our Russian Grand Prix live coverage for the latest news and analysis as we build up to lights out at the Sochi Autodrom.