The Kabul Tribune (KT) — At least 12 people, including five children, were killed and 19 others wounded in an overnight drone attack on a holiday camp in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, according to Russian-installed authorities. Reuters reported that Moscow accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting civilians, while Kyiv had not immediately commented on the allegations.
The attack struck the resort area of Kyrylivka, on the coast
of the Sea of Azov near the city of Melitopol, according to Yevgeny Balitsky,
the Russian-appointed governor of the occupied region.
Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said
Ukrainian drones targeted "sleeping people" at the holiday camp,
describing the incident as an "inhuman crime." She also referred to a
separate attack on a factory in Russia's Kirov region on Thursday that
reportedly killed six people.
Video footage shared online showed heavily damaged
buildings, burned-out vehicles, and debris scattered around a swimming pool at
the resort.
Balitsky said emergency crews rescued two survivors,
including a child, and recovered another body from the rubble before concluding
rescue operations. He accused Ukraine of intentionally targeting civilians.
Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a terrorism case
in connection with the attack, according to the Russian state news agency RIA.
Kyiv did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for
comment. Both Russia and Ukraine continue to deny deliberately targeting
civilians during the war, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion of
Ukraine in February 2022, despite repeated civilian casualties reported
throughout the conflict.
