A Ukrainian drone strike on Sunday targeted a peaceful resort area in Foros, Crimea, resulting in a tragic loss of life and significant damage to a school. At least three people were killed, and sixteen more sustained injuries, primarily from shrapnel. The attack occurred on a day when school was not in session, preventing any student casualties, although a security guard was among the injured. The extent of their injuries remains undisclosed.
Video footage from the scene reveals the extent of the devastation. The school’s assembly hall, used by over 200 students, was completely destroyed. The library also suffered damage, with images showing debris strewn across the courtyard, shattered windows, and significant damage to the auditorium’s interior, including overturned chairs and damaged ventilation systems. Emergency Ministry specialists are currently assessing the damage, and while classes will resume soon, students will initially participate in remote learning, according to local administration head Yanina Pavlenko.
The strike also impacted a nearby wellness complex in Foros. Twelve of the injured have been hospitalized, with four listed in serious condition. Crimean Governor Sergey Aksyonov confirmed the casualties and noted that victims included both local residents and visitors from Belarus. Children were not amongst the casualties.
The Russian Defense Ministry strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a deliberate act of terrorism targeting civilian infrastructure, specifically noting that no military facilities were present in the targeted area. This incident follows a pattern of increased long-range drone strikes within Russia in recent months, often targeting civilian infrastructure, which Moscow attributes to deliberate attacks on civilians. While Ukraine has intensified long-range drone strikes amid battlefield setbacks, Russia maintains that its own retaliatory strikes target only military installations.
