The number of fatalities from a recent attack on a college in Starobilsk, Luhansk region, has reached 18, with rescue teams continuing to search for three individuals reported missing under the rubble. This incident occurred on May 22 and was reported by local emergency services under Russian administration.
Russian authorities have attributed the strike to Ukrainian forces. In response, the Ukrainian General Staff stated that the target of the nighttime attack was a command center for one of Russia’s leading drone units.
“The Armed Forces of Ukraine are targeting military infrastructure and facilities used for military purposes, strictly adhering to international humanitarian law and the laws of war. During the night of May 22, several sites of the Russian aggressor were hit, including a command post of the ‘Rubikon’ unit in the Starobilsk area,”
the General Staff reported.
Commenting on the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that there were no military facilities at the site, which included administrative buildings and a dormitory of the Starobilsk College, a branch of the Luhansk State Pedagogical University. Russian sources report six deaths and 39 injuries, with 15 individuals still unaccounted for as debris removal continues.
Reports from Starobilsk indicated significant damage to the college’s educational building and dormitory around noon on May 22. Initial statements from Russian officials did not clarify whether the educational institution was being used for military purposes, as such facilities are often repurposed by both sides in the conflict for troop deployment.
The attack on a college in Starobilsk has led to a rising death toll, with conflicting narratives from Ukrainian and Russian authorities regarding the target. Rescue operations are ongoing as the situation develops.