Archive · 24 Aug 2026
Conflicting Death Toll Reported After Krasnodar Drone Strike
Drones attacked places in southern Russia during the night.
Pieces of a drone fell on a private childcare centre in Krasnodar.
Russian officials disagreed about the exact number of children who died.
One account said two children died, while another said three teenagers died.
Reports also differed on how many people were hurt.
Fires damaged warehouses and an Ozon delivery centre.
Russia said another drone attack near Nevinnomysk was stopped.
Ukraine said a Russian attack near Kharkiv killed three people.
The attacks happened during the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia would strike important parts of Ukraine’s economy in response.
Russian officials gave conflicting accounts, saying either two children or three teenagers were killed after drone debris struck a private childcare centre in Krasnodar.
Reports said between eight and nine people were wounded, including six or seven children; two adults were also reported injured.
The overnight attack damaged apartment buildings, sparked warehouse fires and hit an Ozon logistics hub, according to officials and the company.
Ozon said it evacuated warehouses in Adygea and Stavropol, while another facility in Dagestan also came under attack.
Russia reported a separate drone attack was repelled near Nevinnomysk, while Ukraine said a Russian attack near Kharkiv killed three people.
- Who
- Russian officials reported child casualties in Krasnodar; Ozon reported damage and evacuations; Ukrainian officials reported three deaths near Kharkiv.
- What
- Drone debris struck a private childcare centre in Krasnodar, while attacks also affected logistics facilities and an industrial area near Nevinnomysk.
- When
- The Krasnodar attack occurred overnight before August 24; the Nevinnomysk incident was reported early Monday, and the Kharkiv attack was reported late Sunday.
- Where
- Krasnodar and nearby areas in southern Russia, including Adygea, Stavropol and Dagestan, as well as the outskirts of Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine.
- Why
- The attacks occurred amid the Russia-Ukraine war. Russia said Ukraine was targeting logistics and economic facilities, while Putin pledged retaliation against Ukraine’s sensitive economic sectors.
Russian officials’ account
Ukrainian response and account
Krasnodar casualties
Russian officials’ account
Russian officials attributed the deaths and injuries to drone debris striking a private childcare centre, but gave differing casualty figures.
Ukrainian response and account
Kyiv had not immediately commented on the Krasnodar incident.
Targets and retaliation
Russian officials’ account
Vladimir Putin said Ukraine had opened a “Pandora’s box” by striking Russian economic targets and warned that Russia would retaliate against sensitive Ukrainian economic sectors.
Ukrainian response and account
Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian logistics hubs and warehouses and is seeking additional interceptor missiles from the United States and Europe; both countries deny deliberately targeting civilians.
Casualties in Ukraine
Russian officials’ account
Russia reported that a separate drone attack on an industrial area near Nevinnomysk was repelled.
Ukrainian response and account
A Ukrainian regional governor said a Russian attack on the outskirts of Kharkiv killed three people.
- Reported Krasnodar deaths
- Accounts differed: Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said two children died, while Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova said three teenagers, aged 13, 15 and 16, were killed.
- Reported injuries
- Reports said either eight or nine people were wounded; one account said six children were hospitalised, while another said seven children were among the injured.
- Main impact
- Drone debris struck a private childcare centre in Krasnodar.
- Property damage
- Apartment buildings and warehouses were damaged or set on fire, and an Ozon logistics hub caught fire.
- Other logistics facilities
- Ozon said it evacuated warehouses in Adygea and Stavropol; another warehouse in Dagestan reportedly came under attack.
- Separate incidents
- Russia said a drone attack near Nevinnomysk was repelled, while Ukraine reported three people killed near Kharkiv.
- Russian response
- Vladimir Putin said Moscow would target Ukraine’s most sensitive economic sectors.