Russian-installed officials say a drone strike hit a college dormitory in Starobilsk, occupied Luhansk, killing six and wounding dozens; Kyiv denies targeting civilians and says it struck a nearby Russian military headquarters. President Putin labeled the incident a "terrorist" act and ordered preparations for a response. Independent verification was not immediately possible and casualty figures are contested.
Strike on College Dormitory in Occupied Luhansk Kills Six; Kyiv Denies Targeting Civilians
Rescuers have recovered at least one body from the rubble, Russian state media reports (Handout)(Handout/social media/AFP)
Russian-installed authorities say Ukrainian drones struck a college dormitory in the town of Starobilsk (also rendered as Starobelsk) in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region early on Friday, killing six people, wounding dozens and leaving others unaccounted for. Kyiv denied targeting civilians, saying its forces struck a nearby Russian military headquarters.
Casualties and Damage. Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking on television, said six people had died, 39 were wounded and 15 people remained missing as rescue teams searched the rubble. Images released by the Moscow-appointed regional governor, Leonid Pasechnik, showed a heavily damaged five-storey building with blown-out windows and flames in one room.
Claims and Counterclaims. The regional authorities and Russia's Investigative Committee accused Ukrainian forces of launching multiple drones at the college dormitory, saying the attack caused part of the building to collapse. Pasechnik said 86 students aged 14–18 were present at the time.
"Enemy drones attacked the academic building and dormitory of Starobelsk Professional College," Pasechnik wrote on Russia's MAX messenger, using the Russian form of the town's name.
Ukraine's General Staff denied intentionally striking civilian targets, saying it had struck "one of the headquarters of the 'Rubikon' unit in the area of the city of Starobilsk" and calling Moscow's account "manipulative information." The Ukrainian military said it targets military infrastructure and adheres to international humanitarian law.
Context. Starobilsk lies roughly 65 kilometres (40 miles) from the front line in eastern Ukraine and was captured by Russian forces in 2022. Ukrainian forces have increasingly used drones in strikes on Russian-held territory, while Russia continues drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian population centres.
Verification and Wider Toll. Independent verification of the incident was not immediately available; agencies including AFP said they could not confirm details at the time. The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has recorded more than 60,000 civilian casualties since 2022, the majority in areas under Ukrainian government control. Separately, Ukraine reported that Russia launched more than 100 drones in attacks between late Thursday and early Friday.
Reactions. Putin described the event as a "terrorist" act and ordered the defence ministry to prepare a response, without providing specifics. Russia's foreign ministry warned that those responsible would face "inevitable and severe punishment."
Note. Reporting on active conflict often involves conflicting claims from the parties; the casualty and damage figures above reflect statements from Russian authorities and Ukrainian responses, and could not be independently confirmed at the time of publication.
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