Drone strike in Gelendzhik leaves seven dead
The drone crash at a beach in the Black Sea resort town of Gelendzhik resulted in seven fatalities on Monday, drawing accusations from Moscow that Ukraine is targeting civilians, reports BritPanorama.
According to Russian officials, the explosion, captured on video and verified by NBC News, killed seven people and injured 58, including three children, as holidaymakers enjoyed the turquoise waters. Veniamin Kondratyev, the governor of the Krasnodar region, confirmed these details.
In the wake of the incident, Russian authorities claimed it was a deliberate attack by the Ukrainian military, labeling it a war crime. “What happened today was a deliberate strike by the Kyiv regime against the civilian population — people who have absolutely no connection to military infrastructure,” Kondratyev stated on his official Telegram channel.
While Ukrainian officials did not confirm their involvement in the strike, they did not deny it either. Amidst the mounting casualties, Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council’s Centre for Countering Disinformation, responded by suggesting that the drone was brought down by Russian air defense, ultimately blaming President Vladimir Putin for the losses incurred.
The attack comes as Ukraine escalates efforts to bring the frontline of the ongoing conflict closer to Moscow, targeting shipping vessels and warehouses in recent weeks. Since the onset of the large-scale invasion in February 2022, Kyiv has developed a strategy of using low-cost drones to exert pressure on Moscow.
In the span of just one week, from July 24 to July 31, Ukrainian shelling and drone strikes reportedly claimed at least 61 lives and injured over 320 people, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. Following the explosion in Gelendzhik, Kovalenko emphasized the consequences of the war, stating, “Had he not started the war and the strikes on Ukraine, they would be alive.”
In another related development, a warehouse in Leningrad was also damaged as tensions continue to rise in the region. The situation remains fluid as both sides continue to navigate the complex dynamics of this ongoing conflict.
