Authorities in Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Luhansk region said Saturday that at least 10 people have been killed after a Ukrainian military drone strike on a university campus and dormitory area.
Russia’s state news agency RIA, quoting the Emergency Ministry, said on Saturday that 12 people have been confirmed dead.
The incident occurred in the Starobilsk community early Friday. Starobilsk is located in eastern Ukraine, about 65 kilometers (40 mi) from the front line.
The city has been in the hands of Russian forces since capturing it in 2022, shortly after they launched their full-scale offensive against Ukraine.
Search and rescue operations underway
According to Leonid Pasechnik, the governor of the occupied Luhansk region, about 38 people were injured and 9 teenage students went missing in the overnight strike.
“Rescuers worked overnight to clear the debris in Starobelsk. Unfortunately, expectations were not met, the death toll has risen to 10,” Pasechnik wrote on Telegram, referring to the Russian-speaking community.
Pasechnik said most of the victims were 19-year-old girls.
Kiev on Saturday denied targeting civilians in the attack, saying it had targeted a Russian drone unit deployed in the Starobilsk region.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry vowed that those responsible for the attack would face “humiliating and severe punishment”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin denied the presence of military or law enforcement facilities near the university.
He condemned the drone attack and ordered the army to prepare a response.
Ukraine attacks chemical plant in Russia
The attack on Starobilsk was one of several offensive drone actions by Kiev against Russia in recent days and weeks.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on the social media platform X on Saturday that Ukraine’s military had attacked a large chemical plant inside Russia.
The Metafrax chemical plant is located in Russia’s Perm region, 1,700 kilometers (1,056 mi) from the Ukrainian border.
“The company’s products supply dozens of other Russian military production facilities, including aircraft equipment and drones, missile engines and explosives. The production process at the enterprise is now halted,” Zelensky wrote about the strike on Telegram.
Additionally, local authorities in Russia’s Krasnodar region said Saturday that a Ukrainian drone caused a fire at an oil terminal overnight.
Falling drone debris reportedly caused a fire at an oil terminal, injuring two people.
Russian officials did not identify the affected facility.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery