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Attack on Starobilsk college dormitory leaves 21 dead
Rescuers in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Starobilsk have concluded search efforts after a pre-dawn strike on a five-storey college dormitory killed 21 people and injured 42, Russian officials reported late Saturday.
Russian claims and Ukrainian denial
Moscow accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack on the Starobilsk Professional College dormitory early Friday. Russian state television broadcast footage of the collapsed building and listed the names of deceased students, along with their birthdates.
President Vladimir Putin condemned the incident as a "terrorist strike," asserting no military targets were nearby. "There were no military facilities, intelligence service facilities, or related services in the vicinity," he stated, dismissing suggestions that Russian air defenses or electronic warfare systems caused the destruction.
Ukraine denies targeting civilian site
The Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff acknowledged conducting an operation near Starobilsk on the night of May 21-22 but insisted the target was a Russian military unit, not the dormitory.
UN Security Council convenes emergency session
Russia called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting Friday, labeling the attack a war crime under international humanitarian law. Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya presented photographs of the ruined building during the session.
"If we applied the same logic behind Russia's call for today's meeting, we would need twice-daily emergency Security Council meetings-including weekends-to address the terror, death, and destruction Russia has inflicted across Ukraine,"
Danish UN representative
Kremlin vows retaliation, hardliners push for broader strikes
Putin ordered Russia's defense ministry to propose a response to the attack. Pro-Kremlin commentators urged escalation beyond Ukraine. Sergey Karaganov, honorary chairman of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, told state-run Vesti that Europe should face "symbolic" and later "less symbolic" strikes for its support of Kyiv.
Survivor recounts ordeal
Among the survivors was 21-year-old Olga Kovaleva, shown in hospital footage after being rescued from the rubble. Russian state media highlighted her account as part of its coverage of the aftermath.
