A deadly explosion on a crowded beach in the Russian Black Sea resort of Gelendzhik has triggered a new exchange of accusations between Moscow and Kyiv, after seven people, including three children, were killed and 58 others injured during a reported Ukrainian drone attack.
The blast struck a beach packed with vacationers relaxing near the shoreline. Video shared on social media and verified by media outlets showed the drone hitting the sand before erupting into a large fireball. Russian authorities said the victims were civilians and accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting them.
Krasnodar Region Governor Veniamin Kondratyev condemned the incident, calling it “a deliberate strike by the Kyiv regime against the civilian population.” He added that those killed had “absolutely no connection to military infrastructure” and described the attack as “a cynical and inhumane terrorist act targeting children.” Moscow argued that deliberately attacking civilians would constitute a war crime.
Ukraine neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the strike. Instead, Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation under Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, claimed the casualties were caused when Russian air defenses intercepted a drone over the beach.
