Russia on Saturday accused Ukraine of carrying out a deadly drone attack on an educational institution in the city of Starobilsk in the Luhansk region, an incident that Russian officials say killed 21 people and injured 44 others.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, claimed that Ukrainian forces used drones supplied by NATO member states to target a teacher-training college. According to her, 86 students were present in the academic buildings and dormitory at the time of the attack.
Russian authorities said that 16 of the wounded were teenagers between the ages of 15 and 17, while most of the casualties were students aged 15 to 22.
Zakharova added that there were no military or intelligence facilities near the educational center and described the strike as a deliberate attack. She characterized the incident as a “war crime” and a “terrorist attack.”
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, foreign journalists who visited the scene observed damage to the buildings, drone debris, ammunition fragments, components of the Starlink satellite system, and other evidence related to the strike.
Ukrainian officials have not yet publicly responded to the report.
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have persisted for years and escalated. Both sides have exchanged accusations over attacks on civilian and military targets.
