Authorities in the Krasnodar region announced on 3/8 that 3 of the 7 fatalities were children, with at least 40 people injured. Governor Veniamin Kondratyev accused Ukraine of attacking a civilian target located far from military bases. It remains unclear if the Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was hit by air defense fire before crashing.
A video recorded by residents shows the Ukrainian UAV flying as multiple gunshots were heard. The aircraft then abruptly plunged onto the beach and exploded.
US-based CNN reported the aircraft had previously flown over a radar station deployed by Russia near the area, but the cause of the UAV's crash onto the beach could not be determined.
Andriy Kovalenko, director of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation within the National Security and Defense Council, stated the incident occurred because Russian air defense shot down the UAV over a crowded area. "All casualties are entirely due to Russian air defense. Ukraine only targets defense industrial complexes and economic infrastructure serving Russia's military capabilities", he said.
Russia's Krasnodar region is frequently targeted by Ukrainian forces. The Novorossiysk naval port, a reserve base for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, is located about 40 km from the resort.
Over the past month, Ukraine has consistently intensified its attacks, targeting Russia's energy infrastructure, defense factories, and maritime transport facilities. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated last week that Ukrainian shelling and UAV attacks from 24-31/7 resulted in at least 61 deaths and 327 injuries.
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Location of Russia's Krasnodar region. Graphic: Britannica |
Russia has also intensified its attacks on Ukrainian territory, particularly the capital Kyiv. Last weekend, the Russian military launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at the Ukrainian capital in a large-scale attack, leaving the city engulfed in smoke and flames and killing at least 4 people.
In an attack during the early hours of 30/7, Russia targeted multiple Ukrainian cities, including Lviv in the west, resulting in 8 deaths and over 50 injuries.
Vu Hoang (Source: CNN, AFP, Reuters)
