Russian‑Controlled Luhansk Dormitory After Drone Strike

A ruined dormitory in the Russian‑held Luhansk region was examined by forensic teams after a drone attack that officials say killed 21 people, many of them young women. The building’s front was riddled with holes and broken windows, while outside lay twisted metal and concrete, and inside the remains of desks and cupboards. Workers in protective gear sifted through debris on a tarpaulin while investigators from Russia’s Investigative Committee gathered evidence. The site, now marked with Russian state symbols and a warning about terrorism, was visited by journalists on May 24 after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a media trip.Russian officials claimed three waves of drones, spaced 10‑15 minutes apart, targeted the area. They alleged that the attackers waited for children to leave before firing, and that 16 drones were involved in total. Ukraine denied responsibility for the strike, stating its forces hit an elite drone unit and adhered to international humanitarian law. Within a day after the incident, Russia launched a large drone and missile attack on Kyiv and nearby towns, one of its heaviest assaults since the war began. The overnight barrage killed four people and included a hypersonic missile strike south of Kyiv.