Russia has strongly condemned what it described as a “barbaric” Ukrainian drone attack on a college dormitory in Starobelsk, with Moscow’s UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia accusing Kiev of targeting civilians and comparing the strike to atrocities committed during World War II.
Speaking before the UN Security Council on Thursday, Nebenzia said the May 22 attack killed 21 students, most of them young women, and injured 44 others. According to Russian officials, the strike involved a “double-tap” drone attack, a tactic in which a second strike hits the same location shortly after the first.
Nebenzia described the incident as a “cynical act of terrorism” and criticized Western nations for refusing to condemn the attack. He accused European countries of hypocrisy, claiming they are quick to accuse Russia whenever politically convenient but chose to ignore the deaths in Starobelsk.
“What is particularly striking is the hypocrisy and cynicism of the European delegations,” Nebenzia told the Security Council. He argued that Western governments had effectively attempted to shift blame onto Moscow while avoiding criticism of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s representative to the United Nations, Andrey Melnik, rejected Russia’s accusations and dismissed the reported attack as “a fake story.” He accused Moscow of spreading propaganda and fabricating narratives to discredit Kiev on the international stage.
Meanwhile, US deputy envoy Tammy Bruce condemned what Russia described as retaliatory strikes on Kiev, calling the attacks “obscene and unacceptable.”
Nebenzia also presented figures claiming that Ukrainian forces had killed 51 civilians and injured 199 others over the previous week, including 20 children. He further alleged that Ukraine launched more than 4,300 drones targeting civilian infrastructure such as residential neighborhoods, schools, and hospitals during that same period.
The Russian diplomat defended Moscow’s military operations, insisting that Russian forces only target military-related facilities. He said recent Russian strikes on Kiev on May 24 were directed at military-industrial sites, including drone production facilities and command centers.
“Our armed forces do not target civilians or civilian infrastructure,” Nebenzia stated, repeating Moscow’s long-standing position regarding its military campaign in Ukraine.
Following the Starobelsk incident, Russian authorities announced plans to intensify attacks on Ukrainian military infrastructure. Moscow said it would continue carrying out what it called “systematic” strikes against military targets and command facilities across Ukraine in response to the dormitory attack.
The latest exchange of accusations at the United Nations reflects the deepening tensions between Russia, Ukraine, and Western powers as the conflict continues to escalate.