Drone Strike on College Dormitory Kills 6 in Russia-Occupied Luhansk

A drone strike on a college dormitory in Starobilsk, in Russia-controlled Luhansk, killed 6 people and wounded dozens, underscoring the continuing escalation in the occupied region. Russian officials said 86 students aged between 14 and 18 were inside the building at the time of the attack. By Friday afternoon, 15 people were also reported missing. Images shared by the Russia-backed administration in the region showed broken windows at Starobilsk Vocational College and fire damage in part of the building. Russian President Vladimir Putin described the attack as “terrorist” and instructed the Defense Ministry to prepare countermeasures. The incident has intensified accusations between Moscow and Kyiv over the targeting of civilians. Ukraine’s General Staff said the strike did not hit a civilian target and instead targeted the headquarters of a Russian military unit near Starobilsk. The Ukrainian side rejected claims that civilian sites were hit, calling the allegations manipulation. Tensions in Luhansk, which Russia claims as its own territory but controls only in large part through occupation, continue amid the exchange of blame.