Russian officials say Ukrainian drone fragments struck a private children’s facility in Krasnodar, killing at least two and injuring nine others, including seven children
Debris from a Ukrainian drone attack fell on a private childcare centre in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar overnight, killing at least two children and injuring nine other people, including seven children, according to regional authorities.
Krasnodar regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said in a statement on Telegram that drone debris struck the children’s facility. “Sadly, two children were killed,” he wrote, adding that seven other children and two adults were wounded and receiving medical care.
Three Children Killed in Krasnodar Drone Attack:
Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, later reported that three teenagers aged 13, 15 and 16 had been killed, with additional children hospitalised. The discrepancy in the reported death toll reflects evolving official accounts in the hours after the incident.
Kondratyev said the overnight assault also damaged residential buildings and construction sites, while a fire broke out at a warehouse. Russian e-commerce giant Ozon confirmed that one of its logistics centres in the Krasnodar area was hit, resulting in a major fire. The company said employees had been evacuated and there were no casualties at its facility. Similar drone strikes targeted other Ozon warehouses in neighbouring regions, including Adygea, Stavropol and Dagestan.
There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian authorities. Kyiv has generally refrained from confirming specific strikes deep inside Russian territory while acknowledging a broader campaign against military and logistics infrastructure linked to Russia’s war effort.
Krasnodar Drone Strike Kills Civilians:
The incident occurred as Ukraine prepared to mark the 35th anniversary of its independence and host a meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing,” attended by European leaders supporting Kyiv. It forms part of an escalating pattern of long-range drone attacks by both sides. Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian logistics hubs, energy facilities and commercial warehouses in recent weeks, aiming to disrupt supply chains and impose economic costs. Russia, which launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has conducted extensive drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, often resulting in civilian casualties.
Russian officials described the Krasnodar attack as a deliberate assault on civilian infrastructure. President Vladimir Putin has previously warned that Ukrainian strikes on Russian economic targets open a “Pandora’s box” and vowed retaliatory action against Ukraine’s most sensitive sectors.
Civilian deaths, particularly of children, have been a recurring feature of the prolonged conflict. Both Moscow and Kyiv accuse each other of targeting non-combatants, while international organisations have repeatedly called for greater protection of civilians and adherence to international humanitarian law.
The Krasnodar strike underscores how the war continues to expand in geographic scope, with drones enabling attacks far from the front lines and bringing the conflict into everyday civilian spaces on both sides of the border. As investigations into the precise circumstances continue, the loss of young lives has once again highlighted the human cost of a war that shows little sign of abating.