Russian leader Vladimir Putin has once again made sharp statements against Ukraine, accusing it of a 'conscious crime against teenagers' following the incident in Starobelsk. According to him, this is a 'new page in a series of crimes,' and the Ukrainian authorities have 'decided to give a new quality to the conflict.'
Addressing his officials, the Kremlin leader ordered a report on the progress of work on 'identifying the criminals.' 'They must all receive their deserved punishment, and it will be inevitable,' Putin emphasized.
What happened in Starobelsk?
On May 22, Putin accused Ukraine of a targeted strike on a college in the temporarily occupied Starobelsk in the Luhansk region. He claimed that many students were allegedly killed in the attack, and dozens more 'were injured.' Under this pretext, he ordered to 'draw conclusions' and organize a retaliatory strike against Ukraine.
Position of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine emphasized that on the night of May 22, one of the headquarters of the Russian 'Rubikon' unit was hit in Starobelsk. At the same time, the Ukrainian side insists that strikes on civilian objects were not and are not being carried out.
Russia's retaliatory strike
Already on the night of May 24, Russia launched a massive strike against Ukraine. The main target of the attack was Kyiv — the enemy launched a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as attack drones at the capital. Also during the attack, a medium-range ballistic missile 'Oreshnik' was used, which landed in the Kyiv region.
The situation remains tense. Both sides continue to exchange accusations, while the civilian population remains at risk. The international community is calling for restraint and dialogue, but so far there are no signs of de-escalation.