Russia has urged the UN Human Rights Office to condemn an alleged Ukrainian drone strike on a college in Starobilsk, Luhansk region, where several people were killed and dozens of children reportedly injured amid escalating tensions in the ongoing conflict.
Russia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva on Friday called on the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk to publicly condemn what Moscow described as a Ukrainian drone attack on a college in the city of Starobilsk in the Luhansk region.
According to Russian officials, unmanned aerial vehicles targeted the academic building and dormitories of the Starobilsk Professional College earlier in the day. The incident reportedly caused multiple casualties and injuries, including among students who were inside the premises at the time of the strike.
In a statement issued by Russia’s diplomatic mission in Geneva, officials urged the OHCHR and relevant UN Human Rights Council mechanisms to “find the strength” to condemn the incident. The mission further stated that continued silence from international human rights bodies would amount to complicity in attacks against civilians.
Russia’s state-run news agency TASS reported that the Permanent Mission strongly criticized what it called “terror against civilians,” including children, and expressed condolences to the victims’ families.
Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova said that four deaths had been confirmed following the attack. Rescue teams later recovered the body of a student from the debris, according to Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Officials stated that as many as 18 people could still be trapped beneath the rubble as emergency operations continued into the evening. Reports also indicated that 36 children sustained injuries during the strike. Of those injured, nine were admitted to healthcare facilities, while three were said to be in serious condition.
The regional administration in Luhansk also reported damage to several civilian structures in Starobilsk, including administrative buildings, shops, and private residential homes. Regional head Leonid Pasechnik said the attack caused widespread destruction in surrounding areas.
Russia’s Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko stated that four fixed-wing UAVs were allegedly used in the operation. She added that 86 children between the ages of 14 and 18 were present at the college complex when the attack occurred.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting children and criticized Western countries for what she described as silence over the incident.
Ukraine had not officially commented on the allegations at the time of reporting. Independent verification of the claims made by Russian authorities was not immediately available.
The latest accusations come amid continuing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides frequently reporting attacks on civilian and strategic infrastructure. International human rights organizations and global institutions have repeatedly called for the protection of civilians and educational facilities during the conflict.
| Also Read: Malaysian PM Congratulates CM Vijay, Eyes September Tamil Nadu Trip |
The situation in the Luhansk region remains highly volatile, with emergency crews continuing rescue and recovery operations at the damaged college site.
