Russia launched what it described as systematic strikes on Ukrainian military and command infrastructure after accusing Kyiv of carrying out a deadly drone attack on a student dormitory in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region, according to statements from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The escalation followed a May 22 strike on the educational building and dormitory of the Lugansk State Pedagogical University college in Starobelsk, LPR, which Russian officials said killed 21 students and injured 44 others.
In a statement issued on May 25, Russia’s Foreign Ministry described the Starobelsk attack as a deliberate strike on civilians and accused the Ukrainian government and its Western backers of violating international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Ukraine denied deliberately targeting civilians and claimed the strike targeted an elite drone command unit in the area.
However, images and evidence released from the site by Russian authorities showed extensive destruction to the dormitory and academic complex, with rescue teams searching through rubble following the attack.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said the incident had “overflowed the cup of patience,” announcing that Russian armed forces had begun “systematic strikes” on Ukrainian military-industrial facilities in Kyiv.
According to Moscow, the operations target drone development, production and operational centers, as well as command posts and decision-making sites linked to Ukrainian UAV operations supported by NATO specialists.
The Russian Foreign Ministry warned foreign nationals, diplomatic personnel and international organizations to leave Kyiv as soon as possible, stating that military and administrative facilities linked to the Ukrainian government could face further strikes.
Russian officials also reported additional Ukrainian drone and missile attacks during the week in Belgorod, Kherson and other regions, including strikes on civilian vehicles, residential buildings and commercial facilities.
Ukrainian authorities meanwhile reported casualties following Russian missile and drone attacks in Kherson, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
The escalation comes as diplomatic efforts backed by the United States have failed to secure a ceasefire agreement.