Russia Condemns Alleged Ukrainian Drone Strikes on Passenger Buses, Calls for International Response
Russia's Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned what it describes as Ukrainian drone attacks targeting civilian passenger buses in Russian-controlled territories and border regions. In a statement released on July 28, 2026, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) of deliberately attacking civilian transportation and violating international humanitarian law.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, a drone struck a scheduled passenger bus in the city of Shebekino on the morning of July 28, injuring 19 civilians. Russian officials stated that six of those injured sustained serious injuries and were taken for medical treatment.
The ministry also reported that another unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacked a passenger bus in the city of Gorlovka in the Donetsk People's Republic on the same morning, leaving five people injured.
Zakharova alleged that the drone operators were fully aware they were targeting civilian vehicles and not military assets. She claimed that those responsible knowingly violated international humanitarian law by carrying out attacks against non-combatants.
The Russian Investigative Committee has reportedly opened criminal investigations into both incidents, describing them as terrorist acts. Russian authorities stated that individuals responsible for planning and carrying out the attacks would face legal consequences.
In its statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed support for those injured in the incidents and wished them a speedy recovery. It also urged international organizations, foreign governments, and independent media outlets to publicly condemn the reported attacks and conduct an impartial assessment of the events.
The ministry further argued that failing to respond to attacks against civilians could undermine international humanitarian law and called for greater international attention to the incidents.
Ukraine has not commented on these specific allegations, and the claims made by the Russian Foreign Ministry have not been independently verified.
Disclaimer: This article is based on statements released by the Russian Foreign Ministry. Some claims remain disputed and have not been independently verified. Readers are encouraged to follow updates from multiple reliable sources as additional information becomes available.
