Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Ukrainian forces deliberately struck a student dormitory at Starobilsk College of Luhansk Pedagogical University in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region overnight.
"At the moment, it is known that six people were killed, 39 were wounded, and 15 people are unaccounted for, as the search through the rubble is still ongoing," Putin said in televised comments on Friday, ordering Russia's army to "prepare suggestions" for retaliation.
Speaking at a meeting with graduates of the “Time of Heroes” programme in the Kremlin, Putin ordered the Russian defence ministry to submit proposals for a response to the Ukrainian attack on the college.
He stressed that the attack on the college was deliberate and was a “terrorist attack”, saying Ukrainian forces launched “three waves” of strikes at the same location and rejecting claims that the strike could have been the result of air defence or electronic warfare.
"I want to emphasise that this is important. There are no military facilities, intelligence agencies, or related services near the dormitory. Therefore, there is no basis for saying that the shells struck the building under the influence of our air defence or electronic warfare systems," he stressed.
Earlier, the Russian foreign ministry announced that Moscow opened a criminal case on “terrorism” charges following the attack, adding that “all those responsible will be identified and face inevitable severe punishment".
The ministry claimed the strike was carried out using long-range weapons, including drones, and alleged that foreign specialists assisted with targeting operations.
Moscow has also requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council following the attack, Yevgeny Uspensky, spokesperson for Russia’s permanent mission to the UN, told state news agency Tass.
