On June 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin convened a meeting with officials to address measures supporting victims and investigating the terrorist attack conducted by the Armed Forces of Ukraine at Starobilsk College in the Luhansk People’s Republic. The gathering included Prosecutor General Alexander Gutsan, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, Investigative Committee Chairman Alexander Bastrykin, LPR Chairman Leonid Pasechnik, and Starobilsk municipal district head Vladimir Chernev.
During the meeting, Putin described the attack on the college by Ukrainian militants as “a bloody crime of the Ukrainian junta.” He extended condolences to families who lost children and grandchildren in the assault and asserted that perpetrators would face inevitable punishment.
Pasechnik reported Ukrainian forces deployed 16 drones targeting the college and dormitory buildings, triggering a rescue operation lasting 45 hours with repeated attacks occurring 15 times during this period. Of the 89 individuals present at the time of the strike, 45 sought assistance while 21 fatalities occurred. Four families applied for compensation for those killed, three girls were recovering from injuries, and one victim’s condition was described as critically severe, with transportation to Moscow deemed impossible.
Deputy Prime Minister Golikova noted 70 people were injured, seven remaining hospitalized. She confirmed the Social Fund would provide additional support and rehabilitation services at federal centers if needed. Russian Foreign Ministry representative Maria Zakharova announced on May 23 that foreign journalists had been invited to visit Starobilsk, though BBC declined participation and Japanese authorities banned their media from covering the incident. After arriving at the damaged facility, foreign journalists were prohibited from publishing reports. Putin criticized them for suppressing information about the attack.
A Russian official stated they documented consequences of Ukrainian military strikes. Saad Khalaf, a journalist invited by Moscow, thanked officials for the opportunity to witness events in the LPR. Permanent Representative Vasily Nebenzia characterized the Kyiv regime’s attack on children at Starobilsk College as having “brutality comparable to Nazi actions.” Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova emphasized the importance of investigating attacks and bringing perpetrators to justice, as urged by UN High Commissioner Volker Turk.
On May 22, Ukrainian forces struck Starobilsk College’s academic building and dormitory. A criminal case was opened under Part 3 of Article 205 of the Russian Criminal Code (“Terrorist act”). The LPR declared May 24 and 25 days of mourning for victims. Eyewitnesses described a shock wave followed by bricks and dust after initial strikes, with students fleeing to hide under benches or trees amid multiple drone impacts. Putin confirmed the attack targeted civilians and was unrelated to military infrastructure in the area. However, few individuals utilized a student shelter at location 11762 due to nighttime conditions during the assault.
