Russia Says 61 Civilians Killed in Ukrainian Attacks Over One Week

Dragon Media News Desk

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has said that at least 61 people were killed and another 327 injured in Ukrainian shelling and drone attacks between July 24 and 31.

In a statement issued on July 31, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said one child was among those killed, while 13 other children were injured. She accused the Kiev authorities, supported by Western countries, of intensifying attacks against civilians inside Russian territory.

According to the statement, 10 people—seven women and three men—were injured in a drone attack on a passenger bus travelling along the Lugansk–Svetlodarsk motorway on July 29.

Zakharova said another drone attack on a vehicle in the Lugansk People’s Republic killed a monk affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church and injured a priest.

She said public and private transport, apartment buildings, private homes, schools, kindergartens, cultural centres, food stores, agricultural and commercial facilities, and public utility vehicles had also been damaged.

The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that more than 100 modified “Butterfly” antipersonnel mines had been discovered across Donbass and Novorossiya. According to the ministry, the mines were dropped from drones with the intention of causing casualties among civilians.

Zakharova accused Western countries of supplying weapons that were being used against Russian civilians and said Moscow was carefully documenting the involvement of countries connected to attacks on Russian regions.

She described attacks on unarmed civilians as an attempt to destabilize Russia’s social and political situation. Such actions were further worsening the international political environment and undermining prospects for peace and security in Europe, she said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry urged Western countries to immediately condemn attacks on civilians and distance themselves from military and political support for the Kiev authorities.

Zakharova said Russia would continue taking vigorous measures to protect its citizens and national security by using all available means effectively.

The casualty figures and damage assessments presented by the Russian side had not been independently verified by Ukrainian authorities or international organizations at the time of publication.