Russian leader Vladimir Putin confirmed there will be a response after accusing Ukraine of attacking a student dormitory in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region, while Ukraine claims the strike targeted a military site.
On 23 May 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of attacking a student dormitory in the city of Starobilsk in the Luhansk region, which Russia occupies, resulting in 16 deaths and 42 injuries. He firmly declared that there would definitely be retaliation.
Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that the attack occurred overnight into Friday (22 May). In addition to the reported casualties, it is estimated that five people remain trapped under the rubble.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military announced that they had struck the headquarters of “Rubicon,” an elite Russian drone military unit in Starobilsk, but did not specify if it was the same building Russia mentioned.
However, Putin insisted, “There are no military buildings, intelligence facilities, or related agencies in the vicinity at all... Therefore, there is no truth whatsoever to claims that the missiles hit the building due to our air defense or electronic warfare systems.”
At a reception at the Kremlin in Moscow on Friday, Putin said the Ukrainian attack came in three waves using a total of 16 drones. He also ordered the Russian military to prepare “proposals” for how to respond to this attack.
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Source:bbc