Kremlin Reports Putin’s Response After Attack on Belarusian Children’s Football Team

Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed Health Minister Mikhail Murashko to take urgent measures to assist those injured and wounded in an attack on a bus carrying a children's football team from Belarus in Russia's Bryansk Region, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

According to the presidential spokesman, Putin contacted the health minister by telephone.

The number of people injured in the attack has previously risen to eight, including six children. A list of the wounded was published online.

On June 17, a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle of the aircraft type attacked a bus carrying a children's football team traveling from the Belarusian city of Gomel to Gelendzhik for a holiday. All those injured were hospitalized. A woman born in 1985 who was accompanying the children was also killed in the strike.

The victim of the attack on the bus in the Bryansk Region was Victoria Goroshko, who accompanied the children's football team. Her former husband provided details about the woman in an interview with RT.

The man said Victoria had two daughters in Belarus. She was traveling to Gelendzhik with her current husband, who is the coach of the children's football team.

According to Victoria's former husband, she was born in Luhansk.

The attack was reported on June 17. According to Russian authorities, Ukrainian drones struck a bus carrying a children's football team traveling from Belarusian Gomel to Gelendzhik for a holiday. Authorities published footage showing the aftermath of the attack. According to the latest information, seven people, including five children, were injured.

Ukraine Denies Responsibility for Attack

The Ukrainian Armed Forces deny responsibility for the reported drone attack on the bus carrying children in the Bryansk Region.

"During the specified period, the Defense Forces of Ukraine did not use unmanned aerial vehicles against targets on the territory of the Bryansk Region,” the Ukrainian General Staff said. "We consider such reports to be another information provocation by the Kremlin.”

According to the Russian side, a children's football team was traveling on the bus from Belarus to Gelendzhik for a holiday. The strike killed the coach's wife, who was accompanying the children, while at least five children were injured.

Russian and Belarusian authorities called the incident a terrorist attack.