The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has clarified that a recent strike in the occupied region of Starobilsk, Luhansk, was aimed at a command post of a prominent Russian drone unit, rather than the local college affiliated with the Luhansk State Pedagogical University.
According to a statement released on the evening of May 22, the Ukrainian military is actively targeting military infrastructure and facilities used for military purposes, in compliance with international humanitarian law. The statement detailed that various Russian military assets were struck overnight, including an oil refinery, ammunition depots, air defense systems, command points, and personnel, specifically mentioning a command post of the “Rubikon” unit in the Starobilsk area.
Earlier that day, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that there were no military targets at the site of the strike, which he described as administrative buildings and dormitories of the Starobilsk college. The Russian side reported six fatalities, 39 injuries, and indicated that 15 individuals are missing as rescue operations continue.
Reports from Starobilsk around noon on May 22 indicated significant damage to the college’s academic building and dormitory. The Ukrainian monitoring channel Exilenova+ shared images of the destroyed structures, attributing the damage to “explosions” in the city.
The channel further noted that the affected sites were utilized by Russian forces for military purposes, although initial Russian reports did not confirm whether the educational institution was being used as a military base. It is common in conflict zones for schools and universities to be repurposed as temporary or permanent military installations.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces have confirmed a targeted strike on a Russian military command post in Starobilsk, Luhansk, rather than a local educational institution. The incident has resulted in reported casualties and significant damage to surrounding buildings.