Russia says Ukrainian drone attack on holiday-makers killed seven, including 3 children

On Monday (Aug 3), Russia claimed that a Ukrainian drone attack on its Black Sea holiday resort of Gelendzhik had killed seven people, including three children, and injured 40 others. The regional governor of Krasnodar, Veniamin Kondratyev, called the incident a tragedy, stating that it was a deliberate attack on civilians. Social media videos, confirmed by Reuters, showed a drone slamming into a crowded beach area near Gelendzhik, followed by a loud explosion.

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, accused Ukraine of resorting to terrorism. This marks Russia's latest strike on civilians, following an attack on a holiday camp in a Russian-held part of Ukraine in which 11 people, including four children, were reportedly killed last month. Ukraine has also intensified long-range attacks deep into Russia, targeting oil refineries and e-commerce warehouses, in an effort to make Russians feel the cost of the war.