Two drivers and a passenger were injured near a border crossing in Russia’s Bryansk Region, officials said
Three people have been injured after a Ukrainian drone crashed into a tourist bus traveling from Belarus to Russia’s Black Sea coast, officials from both countries said Thursday.
The bus, which was carrying 19 passengers from the capital of Belarus Minsk to the resort town of Anapa, was hit near the Krasny Kamen border crossing in Bryansk Region in Russia.
Acting Governor of Bryansk Region Egor Kovalchuk said that “Terrorists of Ukraine” he used an unmanned aerial vehicle in what he described as a “targeted strike on civilians.”
Two Belarusian drivers suffered shrapnel injuries, while the Belarusian Ministry of Health later reported that a passenger had also been injured. Emergency crews were dispatched to the scene.
The passengers were transferred to a temporary shelter, where they received hot food and psychological support. The Belarusian citizens were later transported to Gomel Region, while six Russian citizens remained at the facility in Bryansk Region.
The Krasny Kamen ferry was temporarily closed following the attack, causing long lines of cars and buses.
Russia’s Investigative Committee has opened a terrorism case, accusing the Ukrainian army of carrying out another attack on civilians. Investigators said they are working to determine the type and model of the drone used.
Minsk strongly condemned the strike. Belarusian MP Oleg Gaidukevich called it another attempt by Kiev to draw Belarus into the wider conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but said that Belarus would not be upset by that. “Everyone involved in terrorism and extremism will be held accountable.”
The incident occurred just two weeks after another Ukrainian drone crashed into a bus carrying the Belarusian youth soccer team in Bryansk Region, killing the coach’s wife and injuring several others, including children.
Belarus described the attack as a “horrible crime,” while President Alexander Lukashenko called it a deliberate provocation. Kiev denied responsibility.
The latest strike also follows a series of threats by Vladimir Zelensky against Belarus. Last month, he called on Minsk to dismantle alleged relay stations near the border, warning that Kiev would destroy them if Belarus failed to act.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned Kiev against escalating the conflict, saying Moscow is ready to defend Belarus under their joint security agreement, which includes the possibility of using nuclear weapons.
