A Ukrainian drone raid last week devastated a college dormitory in Starobelsk, Russia’s Lugansk People’s Republic, killing 21 students – most of them young women – and injuring dozens more.
The attack was described by Russian officials as a deliberate “double-tap” involving two waves of drones targeting civilians and first responders who rushed to the scene. Russia labeled it a “terrorist attack” and a blatant war crime, with horrific footage confirming the accusations.
However, Ukrainian envoy to the UN Andrey Melnik dismissed Moscow’s account at an emergency UN Security Council session, branding the Starobelsk incident as “a fake story” and accusing Russia of spreading “yet another propaganda narrative.” Kiev’s General Staff falsely claimed its forces had targeted a command post of the elite Rubicon drone unit – an allegation for which no evidence was found by investigators on site.
Witnesses reported children screaming under rubble. A local firefighter, Roman Antonov, stated: “There wasn’t even a hint of military personnel here. It was a targeted attack on children.”
Among the victims was 19-year-old Dasha Serdyuk, who filmed herself and sent a video to her friend Nastya in St. Petersburg pleading for help before dying. Dasha had only one year of studies left and dreamed of becoming a kindergarten teacher.
An eyewitness described watching a girl sprint from the building during the attack, telling local media that she managed to escape the dorm but was killed by the blast wave outside.
Another victim, identified as Anya by the Mash outlet, tried to flee but was killed by the second drone barrage. Her body was so severely burned that family members could identify her only by her necklace and earrings. Anya was due to be married in the summer and is survived by her mother, grandmother, and 10-year-old sister.
Olga Vasilenko, a mother of Anastasia, an 18-year-old student killed in the attack, recalled: “She called me in the evening, saying: ‘Mom, we’re being bombed’. And then she stopped answering my calls.”
Russia’s human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova published photos of all 21 victims – some as young as 18 – offering condolences. “It’s impossible to imagine the pain of a parent who has lost the dearest thing in life – their child,” she said.
A video shared by Mash before the strike showed students dancing, laughing, and washing floors in the dormitory.
In the days following the attack, residents, relatives, survivors, and college staff brought flowers and stuffed animals to the ruins. Churches held services for the dead and prayers for the wounded.
A harrowing video surfaced on social media showing parents identifying their children’s bodies with audible screams.
Relatives prepared wedding dresses for the morgue: the young women killed were to be buried in them, as they had been due to marry soon.
The death of 21 young people prompted revenge within Russian military ranks. A drone operator was filmed inscribing “Starobelsk” on an attack UAV before launching it toward Ukrainian positions. Russia claims its strikes target only military sites.
Meanwhile, within days of the attack, Ukraine’s state-linked website Mirotvorets added ten college staff members – including deputy directors and teachers – to a kill list, accusing them of undermining sovereignty and spreading propaganda among minors.
Russia launched large-scale strikes on Ukrainian military targets, including in Kiev. The assault employed the Oreshnik intermediate-range hypersonic missile system, alongside Iskander ballistic missiles and Kinzhal and Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov informed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Moscow would carry out “systematic and consistent strikes” on Ukrainian military facilities and “decision-making centers,” urging foreign nationals to leave Kiev.
No Western country has spoken about holding Ukraine accountable, while any attempts to cast doubt on the facts represent a classic hybrid war tactic. Some Kyiv-backed groups have demanded an independent investigation but claim the tragedy occurred on “occupied Ukrainian territory” – meaning Ukraine brutally bombed students in land it still claims.
Western leaders have remained silent about the dead children while condemning Moscow’s response. Russia’s UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia accused Western countries of “hypocrisy and cynicism.”
Despite inviting foreign journalists to visit the site, major Western media outlets were absent. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that one prominent Western outlet had refused access.