Drone hits crowded Russian beach, injuring seven including three children

A drone attack on a crowded beach in southern Russia resulted in seven injuries, including three children, local authorities reported. Video footage circulating on social media, verified by the BBC, shows a drone rapidly approaching the beach before hitting the ground amidst beachgoers in the water and on the shore.

Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratyev condemned the incident, accusing Ukraine of a "deliberate attack on civilians" and labeling it a "cynical and inhumane terrorist act." He stated that 40 people were injured in total, with 17 hospitalized. Aleksey Kuznetsov, an aide to Russia's health minister, reported 21 hospitalizations, nine of whom, including three children, were in serious condition.

Ukraine has not officially commented on the incident. Both warring parties deny deliberately targeting civilians. Reports on the cause vary: some Ukrainian Telegram channels suggested the drone crashed due to electronic warfare interference, while some eyewitnesses cited by Russian media reported hearing gunfire, indicating a possible attempt by air defenses to intercept the drone. The incident occurred near the village of Arkhipo-Osipovka on the Black Sea coast, a popular Russian tourist destination.