A drone struck a coach in Russia's Bryansk region, killing one woman and injuring seven people, five of them children, officials said. The bus carried 44 people, including 28 children from a Gomel youth football team en route to Gelendzhik on the Black Sea. Belarus said it would investigate; Russia called the strike a "terrorist attack" and blamed Ukrainian forces. UNICEF says more than 3,400 children in Ukraine have been killed or injured by Russian strikes since the invasion.
Drone Strike Hits Coach Carrying Youth Football Team In Russia's Bryansk — One Dead, Several Injured
FILE PHOTO - Smoke rises from a major fire in eastern Moscow, hours after the Russian capital came under heavy drone attacks. (is associated with: «Ukrainian drone hits Russian school bus, killing one») André Ballin/dpa
A woman was killed and seven people — including five children — were hospitalized after a drone struck a coach carrying a pupils' football team in Russia's western Bryansk region, officials said on Wednesday.
Russian health authorities reported that 44 people were on the coach in total, among them 28 children who were members of a football team from Gomel in Belarus. The bus was reportedly traveling to the Black Sea resort of Gelendzhik.
Location And Context
The Bryansk region borders Ukraine, and Russian officials say Ukrainian forces have frequently used drones in the area to target vehicles and disrupt supplies bound for Russian troops. Ukrainian drone strikes have also previously caused civilian casualties, according to Russian statements.
Official Reactions
The Belarus Foreign Ministry said it would closely examine the incident. Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the strike as a "terrorist attack," accusing Ukrainian leadership of "hunting peaceful citizens and especially children."
"A terrorist attack — hunting peaceful citizens and especially children," Maria Zakharova said, according to Russian officials.
Wider War Impact
The conflict that began with Russia's invasion has now lasted more than four years. UNICEF reports that Russian strikes have killed or injured more than 3,400 children in Ukraine.
Details about the origin of the drone and any claim of responsibility were not independently verified at the time of the reports. Independent confirmation and investigations by international or third-party observers may be needed to establish full accountability.
Help us improve.
