Arabic version: ضربة طائرة مسيرة في لوغانسك تثير وعود انتقام روسية

A drone strike on the Starobilsk College of Luhansk Pedagogical University has led to accusations from Russia against Ukraine, alongside a vow for retribution from the Kremlin. The incident, which occurred early on Friday, resulted in the destruction of a five-storey building and reportedly killed 21 people while injuring 42 others.

According to BBC News, Russian officials have claimed that Ukraine was responsible for the attack, which they describe as a terrorist strike. Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized that there were no military facilities in the vicinity of the attack, arguing that there is no justification for claiming that Russian air defense systems were involved.

In response to the incident, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces confirmed that an attack occurred near Starobilsk on the night of 21-22 May but insisted it targeted a Russian military unit. This back-and-forth has provoked an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council, called at Russia’s request, where accusations of war crimes were exchanged.

Putin has instructed the defense ministry to propose a response to the incident, while pro-Kremlin commentators have suggested that retaliation should extend beyond Ukraine to include strikes on Europe. Sergey Karaganov, a prominent figure in Russian defense policy, stated that symbolic strikes should be considered as part of the response strategy.

As of late Saturday, emergency teams completed their search and rescue operations at the site of the attack, with the focus now shifting to the political ramifications of this escalation in violence.