STAROBILSK, Russian-controlled Ukraine, May 24 (TV Delmarva) — Investigation teams spent Sunday examining the destroyed remains of a dormitory building following what Russian officials describe as a deadly Ukrainian drone assault in the Luhansk region, an area under Russian occupation during the ongoing four-year conflict.
Officials reported that rescue operations ended late Saturday evening, with the final casualty count from the attack on the educational facility reaching 21 victims, including numerous young women.
The structure’s front wall showed massive damage with large openings and shattered glass throughout. Debris consisting of bent metal pieces and broken concrete scattered around what had been the building’s central yard, while damaged furniture and classroom equipment remained stacked inside.
An investigator wearing safety equipment studied metal fragments and other wreckage arranged on a protective covering while personnel from Russia’s Investigative Committee gathered evidence from Friday’s incident.
Reuters covered this story from Starobilsk during an official press tour arranged by Russia’s Foreign Ministry on May 24, 2026.
Ukrainian military officials rejected claims of responsibility for the strike, stating they had targeted a specialized drone operations unit in the vicinity and maintained adherence to international humanitarian standards.
Reuters could not independently confirm the details of what occurred.
“Three waves of UAVs (drones) 10-15 minutes apart,” Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner, Yana Lantrova, told journalists outside the damaged structure while a group displayed photographs of the deceased.
“Sixteen UAVs in total. They waited for the children to run out. They fired directly at the children.”
The educational institution, located in eastern Luhansk region and annexed by Russia months following the Kremlin’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, displayed official Russian government emblems.
Posted on one interior wall were guidelines for responding to “the threat of terrorism.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin directed his armed forces to develop retaliatory options against Ukraine following the incident.
Less than 24 hours later, during the early hours of Sunday, Russia launched an assault on Kyiv and nearby regions using hundreds of drones and missiles in what represented one of the most intense bombardments of the capital since the conflict began.
The nighttime attack resulted in four deaths and included the deployment of a Russian Oreshnik hypersonic missile targeting an area south of Kyiv.
