Russia Accuses Ukraine of Deadly Drone Strike on Children’s Bus

Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying out a deadly drone strike on a bus carrying Belarusian schoolchildren, an allegation the Ukrainian military called “false”. The accusation came during a new wave of attacks by both sides that caused civilian casualties in Ukraine and Russia.

Yegor Kovalchuk, acting governor of Russia’s Bryansk region, said the bus was taking a Belarusian children’s soccer team on holiday in southern Russia.

The Russian Foreign Ministry called the attack “another monstrous crime” and said a woman accompanying the children had been killed. Eight other people, including six children, were injured.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces rejected the allegation, stating on Telegram that “during the specified period, the Defence Forces of Ukraine did not employ unmanned aerial vehicles against targets in Bryansk Oblast”.

Reuters was unable to independently verify the report.

Belarusian Health Minister Alexander Khodzhayev said two people, an adult and a child, were in serious condition. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry demanded “complete explanations” from Ukraine.

Russian investigators opened a terrorism investigation and said the bus, traveling from Gomel in Belarus to Gelendzhik in Russia, had been carrying 44 passengers, including 28 children.

Russia later attacked Kyiv with missiles, while officials in Sumy said one person had been killed in a drone strike. Russian authorities also reported deaths in Ukrainian drone attacks in the Belgorod and Rostov regions, while drones struck an oil refinery in Moscow.

Russia and Ukraine deny deliberately targeting civilians in the war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

(Reuters, luc)