A Russian beach drone strike near a Black Sea resort in southern Russia killed seven people, including three children, and injured 40 others, local authorities said. The blast hit a crowded stretch of shoreline near the village of Arkhipo-Osipovka, where tourists were watching the water when the drone came down and exploded.
Governor Veniamin Kondratyev of the Krasnodar region said 17 of the injured were taken to hospital. Verified social media footage showed a drone speeding toward a cliffside before crashing in a fireball on the beach below. The scene unfolded in front of holidaymakers and residents who had gathered at the popular resort area.
Kondratyev accused Ukraine of carrying out what he called a deliberate attack on civilians. Ukraine did not comment. Both sides say they do not intentionally target civilians. The exact target of the drone remains unclear.
Russian media quoted eyewitnesses who said they heard gunfire before the explosion, suggesting air defences may have tried to bring the drone down. Some Ukrainian Telegram channels claimed the drone lost control after its signal was jammed by electronic warfare and then crashed into the beach. Those accounts have not been independently resolved.
The beach strike at Arkhipo-Osipovka stands out because the area is a major holiday destination on Russiaβs southern coast. Its warm weather, long beaches and tourist infrastructure have made it especially attractive to Russians in recent years, particularly as sanctions have reduced the ability to travel abroad. Local residents and visitors said no sirens sounded before the blast.
