©picture alliance / Picvario Media | Roman Naumov
Ukraine denies it is behind a drone attack on student dorms in Luhansk. It claims it was an attack on a unit controlling attack drones. Russia, according to Ukraine, falsely accused Ukraine of attacking innocent students.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is already threatening severe retaliation following the attack on Luhansk University. Vladimir Putin calls the Ukrainian drone attack on the university of Russian-occupied Luhansk a "deliberate, terrorist attack". But in Ukraine, people see this communication as deception and part of the Russian propaganda machine in which deliberate lies are spread.
The attack took place in Russia-controlled eastern Ukraine, Reuters news agency reports.
According to the Russian president, a student apartment was hit. At the time, 86 young people between the ages of 14 and 18 were sleeping in the building.
Vladimir Putin says at least 6 were killed and 39 injured. 15 people are reportedly still missing. Emergency services are still searching the rubble for survivors and injured. "This is definitely not an accidental blast. There are no military or other strategically important facilities near the complex, and I have asked the Defense Ministry to prepare options for retaliation," the Russian president responded.
According to Russia, the attack took place in three waves with 16 drones targeting the same place each time. Russia has already called an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. It is scheduled for 10 p.m. Dutch time.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov speaks of a "monstrous crime" and demands that those responsible be punished.
Ukraine denies it's a drone attack on innocent students. Ukraine therefore rejects Russia's accusations that it attacked student dorms. According to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, it was an attack on a well-trained military unit operating drones from the building to destroy Ukraine. Accordingly, a post on Telegram called Moscow's statements "active manipulation". Ukraine insists that it strictly abides by international law and rules around warfare, claiming that Kiev is not attacking civilian targets.
©picture alliance / Picvario Media | Roman Naumov