Russia Furious After Beach Attack
Six killed and 47 injured in Ukrainian drone strike on a beach near Gelendzhik. Moscow accuses the West of direct involvement in terrorist activities.
Six killed and 47 injured in Ukrainian drone strike on a beach near Gelendzhik. Moscow accuses the West of direct involvement in terrorist activities.
The number of injured in the Ukrainian drone attack on a beach in the settlement of Arkhipo-Osipovka, near the Russian Black Sea resort of Gelendzhik, has risen to 47, confirmed the city's mayor, Alexei Bogodistov, on Monday. According to updated information from the governor of Krasnodar Krai, Veniamin Kondratyev, six people, including children, were killed in the attack.
Russia's Foreign Ministry reacted sharply to the incident, with spokesperson Maria Zakharova accusing NATO and the European Union of direct complicity in what she calls international terrorism.
"The terrorist criminal group that has taken over the state apparatus of Ukraine operates in the heart of Europe. NATO countries are sponsors of terrorism. Not long ago, NATO and the EU declared zero tolerance for terrorism. Now they have themselves become part of international terrorist activity," Zakharova told the Russian state agency TASS.
According to her, by allowing a "criminal group" within the apparatus of Vladimir Zelensky's government to operate in their midst, NATO and the EU have become accomplices in terrorist activity.
Governor Kondratyev stated that the strike was aimed at civilian infrastructure and expressed condolences to the families of the deceased. Emergency teams from Gelendzhik and Tuapse, as well as a specialized disaster medicine brigade from Krasnodar, are working at the scene. The seriously injured are being transported for treatment to hospitals in nearby cities.
Witnesses reported that people on the shore tried to take cover immediately after the attack began. Local authorities say that the final lists of the injured are still being determined.
On the same day, Ukrainian drones also hit a massive warehouse of Wildberries, Russia's largest online retail platform, in the Vladimir region. The fire engulfed about 100,000 square meters, and more than 200 firefighters were deployed to extinguish it. Governor Alexander Avdeyev reported three people with minor injuries.
Attacks on Wildberries' logistics centers have intensified since July 18, 2026, with more than ten facilities across Russia hit since then. Kyiv claims that the warehouses are used to supply the Russian military with drone parts, navigation equipment, and other military goods. Founder and CEO Tatyana Kim called the attacks a terrorist act.
Wildberries, founded in 2004, generates annual revenue of 70 to 75 billion euros, which by some estimates exceeds two percent of Russia's GDP. The company directly employs about 50,000 people, and during peak demand periods, its logistics network encompasses more than 100,000 workers. The Russian government is reportedly considering support models, including preferential loans through the state bank VTB, while small entrepreneurs warn that without more substantial support, thousands of businesses could be forced to close.
