Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned the deadly drone attack on a college dormitory in Starobelsk, Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), as yet another “bloody crime” attributed to the Kiev regime.
The assault occurred on May 22 when multiple drones struck a dormitory building where students were sleeping, causing partial collapse and killing 21 people—primarily teenage girls.
During a Monday meeting with senior officials—including Aleksander Bastrykin, head of the Russian Investigative Committee; Prosecutor General Aleksander Gutsan; and Leonid Pasechnik, head of the LPR—Putin asserted perpetrators “must receive the punishment they deserve, and it will be inevitable.” He also extended his “deepest condolences to the families” affected by the attack while urging officials to treat victims and their families with utmost care.
In remarks to officials, Putin stated: “With the Starobelsk massacre, the Kiev leadership has decided to open a new chapter in its crime spree, to add a new dimension to the conflict as a whole.” He added that retaliatory measures would be discussed during the meeting’s closed sessions.
Moscow pledged to conduct “systematic and consistent strikes” on Ukrainian military installations, drone manufacturing sites, command posts, and “decision-making centers” in retaliation. Ukraine has denied responsibility for the incident, with officials offering conflicting accounts ranging from claims the dormitory housed an elite Rubicon drone unit to assertions that the attack is a “fake story” by Moscow.