Russian authorities reported that a drone attack on the Black Sea resort town of Gelendzhik resulted in the deaths of seven people, including three children, and injured 40 others. The incident, which Moscow described as a deliberate strike on civilians by Ukrainian forces, occurred recently, though no specific date was provided. Ukraine has not commented on the claims, maintaining its stated policy of not targeting civilians in the ongoing conflict that began in 2022 when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

Social media footage verified by independent sources showed a drone colliding with a crowded beach area near Gelendzhik, producing a loud explosion. This incident follows a previous accusation from Russia last month, when Moscow alleged that Ukrainian forces killed 11 civilians, including four children, during an attack on a holiday camp located in the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine.

Throughout the conflict, Russia has conducted repeated strikes on Ukrainian cities, causing widespread displacement and destruction. On Sunday night, Russian aircraft dropped eight glide bombs over approximately 90 minutes on residential neighborhoods in the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia. The attack resulted in the death of a 71-year-old woman and wounded 31 others, including a 16-year-old girl, according to regional official Ivan Fedorov. The bombardment damaged 22 apartment buildings across four districts.

Glide bombs used in the assault are Soviet-era ordnance modernized with guidance systems, capable of carrying up to 3,000 kilograms (6,600 pounds) of explosives and creating large impact craters. Moscow has deployed these weapons against civilian targets within Ukrainian towns and cities since the onset of hostilities more than four years ago.

Zaporizhzhia is a strategic location: while Russian forces control the nuclear power plant and parts of the wider region, the city itself remains under Ukrainian control. The area is among four regions—alongside Donetsk, Kherson, and Luhansk—that Russia annexed in September 2022, an act widely condemned as illegal by the international community due to Russia’s incomplete territorial control.

In response to ongoing attacks and escalating threats, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has renewed calls for increased military support from international partners, particularly requesting additional US-made Patriot air defense systems. However, the Biden administration’s predecessor expressed reservations last week about authorizing Ukraine to manufacture Patriots domestically, highlighting ongoing debates over the scope of military aid.