Death toll rises after drone strike on starobilsk dormitory
The death toll from a drone strike on a student dormitory in Starobilsk, in the occupied Luhansk region, has risen to 10 as rescue teams continue search operations. The attack triggered a political escalation after Russian leadership accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure and ordered military officials to prepare retaliation options.
Authorities installed by Russia said the strike involved multiple waves of drones hitting the same location, with a total of 16 drones reportedly used. The impact caused part of a five storey residential building to collapse, trapping residents inside. Early assessments indicated a smaller number of casualties, but figures increased as recovery operations progressed through the rubble.
Ukraine rejected the accusations and said its forces targeted a military objective in the area, identifying a drone command unit operating in the region. Ukrainian military officials described the Russian narrative as misleading and accused Moscow of placing military assets inside civilian structures in occupied territories, a claim that could not be independently verified.
The incident unfolded amid an intensifying exchange of long range drone attacks between the two sides. Ukrainian forces have recently carried out strikes on energy infrastructure inside Russia, while Russian attacks across Ukrainian territory have resulted in additional civilian casualties. Rescue operations in Starobilsk continued into the weekend as the situation remained fluid.
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