There was no immediate response from Ukraine, which, like Russia, maintains it does not deliberately target civilians in the full-scale war Moscow launched in 2022. Videos circulating on social media and verified by Reuters appear to show a drone striking a crowded area near the Gelendzhik beach, setting off a powerful explosion. There are also reports the drone was shot down before reaching its target, sending debris falling onto the beach. A special disaster medical team rushed to the site of the explosion in the settlement of Arkhipo-Osipovka, part of the wider Gelendzhik tourist area, local authorities said. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of resorting to terrorism, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.