Russian authorities have accused Ukraine of sending a drone to attack a crowded beach on the Black Sea coast, resulting in 7 deaths, including 3 children, and more than 40 injuries.
On Monday, 3 Aug 2026, Veniamin Kondratyev, governor of Krasnodar Krai, posted on his Telegram account that a drone crashed onto a beach near Gelendzhik, a Black Sea resort city in Russia, causing 6 deaths, including 3 children.
However, the Krasnodar operational command later announced that the death toll from the attack at Arkhipo-Osipovka beach had risen to 7.
Governor Kondratyev blamed Ukraine for the attack and added that 21 injured people were hospitalized, while another 19 received treatment and were discharged.
The Ukrainian military has not commented on the incident, but reports suggest the drone may have targeted the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk, about 40 kilometers from Gelendzhik.
It remains uncertain whether the drone directly crashed onto the beach or was intercepted and shot down before falling there.
Source: bbc