Moscow: The death toll from the attack on a dormitory in Starobilsk in Russia’s Luhansk region has risen to 18, with more bodies being recovered from the rubble, local media reported.
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said rescue teams continue to search the debris, warning that up to three children may still be trapped under the rubble.
“The bodies of two more people were recovered from the rubble. This brings the total to 60 injured, 18 of whom died,” Russia’s TASS news agency quoted a ministry official as saying.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday condemned the Ukrainian attack on the Starobilsk college.
According to Russian Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko, the college was targeted by the Ukrainian Armed Forces using four fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.
Authorities said 86 children aged between 14 and 18 were present inside the premises at the time of the attack.
The United Nations also condemned the incident. UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said, “We strongly condemn any attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur,” adding that the UN was closely monitoring reports of overnight shelling of a college building and dormitory in Starobilsk that resulted in multiple deaths and injuries, including among children.
He stressed that attacks of this nature are prohibited under international humanitarian law and urged all parties to avoid actions that could further escalate the conflict.
At a UN Security Council meeting convened at Russia’s request, Vanessa Frazier said children, schools, and hospitals must never be targeted in armed conflict, stressing that civilian protection must remain a priority.
Civilians, children, humanitarian personnel, and civilian infrastructure—including schools and hospitals—must never be considered collateral damage, she said.
Separately, US Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Tammy Bruce said reports of the incident raised serious concerns and called for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire.
“We are following reports of deaths and injuries in Luhansk last night. Many questions regarding this attack remain unanswered,” she said, urging efforts toward a negotiated end to the war.
Officials added that rescue operations are still underway as authorities continue to assess the full scale of the damage.
With IANS inputs