A woman was killed and seven people were hospitalized after a drone struck a bus carrying a Belarusian youth football team in Russia's Bryansk region, officials said Wednesday.
The bus was transporting members of a football team from Gomel, Belarus, when it was hit while traveling through the western Russian region near the Ukrainian border. Russian health authorities said seven people were taken to hospital, including five children, reports the Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
Officials said there were 44 people on board the vehicle, including 28 children. The group was reportedly en route to the Black Sea resort city of Gelendzhik for a trip when the incident occurred.
The Bryansk region has frequently been targeted by drone attacks since the start of the war. Located along Russia's border with Ukraine, the area is often used as a transit route and has seen repeated strikes in recent years.
Russia's Foreign Ministry condemned the attack following reports that children were among those injured. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the incident as a terrorist attack and accused Ukraine's leadership of “hunting peaceful citizens and especially children.”
Belarusian officials also responded to the incident. The Belarus Foreign Ministry said it intends to closely examine the circumstances surrounding the strike.
The identities of the victims have not been publicly released. Authorities did not immediately provide additional details regarding the condition of those injured beyond confirming that five children were among those receiving medical treatment.
Drone warfare has become a regular feature of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with attacks occurring far from front-line combat zones. Bryansk has been one of several Russian border regions affected by such operations.
Ukrainian forces have frequently targeted infrastructure, military assets, and transportation routes in border regions as part of efforts to disrupt Russian military operations. Civilian casualties have also occurred during drone attacks carried out during the conflict.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has continued for more than four years. According to UNICEF, Russian attacks have killed or injured more than 3,400 children in Ukraine since the conflict began.
The bus was transporting members of a football team from Gomel, Belarus, when it was hit while traveling through the western Russian region near the Ukrainian border. Russian health authorities said seven people were taken to hospital, including five children, reports the Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
Officials said there were 44 people on board the vehicle, including 28 children. The group was reportedly en route to the Black Sea resort city of Gelendzhik for a trip when the incident occurred.
The Bryansk region has frequently been targeted by drone attacks since the start of the war. Located along Russia's border with Ukraine, the area is often used as a transit route and has seen repeated strikes in recent years.
Russia's Foreign Ministry condemned the attack following reports that children were among those injured. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the incident as a terrorist attack and accused Ukraine's leadership of “hunting peaceful citizens and especially children.”
Belarusian officials also responded to the incident. The Belarus Foreign Ministry said it intends to closely examine the circumstances surrounding the strike.
The identities of the victims have not been publicly released. Authorities did not immediately provide additional details regarding the condition of those injured beyond confirming that five children were among those receiving medical treatment.
Drone warfare has become a regular feature of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with attacks occurring far from front-line combat zones. Bryansk has been one of several Russian border regions affected by such operations.
Ukrainian forces have frequently targeted infrastructure, military assets, and transportation routes in border regions as part of efforts to disrupt Russian military operations. Civilian casualties have also occurred during drone attacks carried out during the conflict.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has continued for more than four years. According to UNICEF, Russian attacks have killed or injured more than 3,400 children in Ukraine since the conflict began.
