MOSCOW, Aug. 4 (ANI) — At least seven people, including three children, were killed and 40 others injured in southern Russia on Monday when debris from a Ukrainian drone struck a crowded beach in the Black Sea resort city of Gelendzhik.
According to CNN, the incident in Russia’s Krasnodar region marks one of the deadliest in the area in recent weeks as authorities investigate whether the unmanned aerial vehicle crashed or was shot down by Russian air defense systems.
Regional Gov. Veniamin Kondratiev confirmed that those on the beach were killed “when debris from a UAV fell,” while offering his “sincere condolences to their families and loved ones.”
Local officials said 21 of the 40 injured were hospitalized, while the remaining 19 received medical treatment at the scene, CNN reported.
Referring to video footage, CNN reported that automatic gunfire from at least three weapons could be heard seconds before the explosion. As the gunfire continued, the drone reportedly veered sharply and plunged onto the beach, appearing to overshoot a Russian radar installation located just west of the impact site.
Rejecting responsibility for the civilian casualties, Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Ukrainian government’s Center for Countering Disinformation, said Russian air defense actions directly caused the tragedy.
“This was the work of Russian air defense forces, which shot down the drone over a beach full of vacationers. And pathetic efforts by the Russian authorities, who often conceal air raid alerts or fail to do everything necessary to ensure Russians’ safety during such alerts,” CNN quoted Kovalenko as saying.
He added that “the deaths of Russians on the beach in Gelendzhik are entirely the fault of the Russian air defense forces,” while asserting that “Ukraine uses its weapons exclusively against Russia’s military-industrial complex (and) economic infrastructure that affects Russia’s ability to finance the war.”
According to CNN, Russia’s Krasnodar region remains a frequent target of Ukrainian strikes, with Ukrainian forces regularly targeting naval assets and energy infrastructure.
Meanwhile, a Turkish-owned cargo ship was struck in a drone attack about 20 nautical miles off Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, according to Turkey’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.
The vessel, NADEZHDA, was traveling from Novorossiysk to Samsun, Turkey, with 22 crew members on board, including 13 Turkish nationals.
The strike caused significant damage to the vessel’s living quarters and bow, sparking a fire on board.
In a post on X, the ministry said Russian emergency responders evacuated all crew members safely to Novorossiysk Port after coordinating with local maritime rescue authorities.
“According to initial assessments, damage has occurred to the vessel’s living quarters and bow section, and a fire continues on board. As a result of communication with MRCC Novo, it has been learned that the seafarers on board were safely evacuated to Novorossiysk Port by maritime assets belonging to the Russian Federation. According to initial information, it has been reported that the health conditions of 3 personnel may be serious,” the ministry said.
“The fire on the vessel continues, and due to the ongoing risk of drone attacks in the area, a rescue operation cannot be conducted. Developments regarding the matter are being closely monitored, and we extend our best wishes for a speedy recovery to all our seafarers and hope they reunite with their families in good health as soon as possible,” it added. (ANI)
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