Putin Orders Retaliation Plans After Deadly Drone Strike in Occupied Eastern Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the Russian military to prepare possible retaliatory measures following a deadly drone strike in the occupied eastern Ukrainian town of Starobilsk, according to reports by Reuters.
Moscow has accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting a student dormitory in the region, escalating tensions further in the ongoing conflict between the two countries.
The strike reportedly took place overnight in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine’s Luhansk region. According to a Russian-installed official quoted by Reuters, at least ten people were killed in the attack.
Several others were trapped or injured when the building was hit, turning the incident into one of the latest flashpoints in the war.
Local Russian-backed authorities claimed that around 38 people were injured in the strike, while another 11 were still missing hours after the attack, the BBC reported.
Rescue operations were said to be ongoing as emergency teams searched through the damaged structure for survivors.
Ukraine, however, strongly rejected Russia’s allegations that the dormitory itself had been the intended target.
Ukrainian officials stated that their forces had instead targeted what they described as an elite Russian drone command unit operating in the area. Kyiv maintained that the strike was directed at a legitimate military objective linked to Russia’s ongoing operations in occupied territory.
President Putin dismissed Ukraine’s explanation and insisted that there were no military or intelligence-related facilities near the dormitory building.
Speaking during a reception at his Kremlin residence in Moscow on Friday, the Russian leader said there was “absolutely no basis” for claims that the damage may have resulted from Russian air defence systems or electronic warfare measures.
According to Putin, the attack was carried out in multiple waves involving a total of 16 drones. He alleged that the strike had been carefully coordinated and accused Ukraine of intentionally targeting civilians in the occupied region.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities defended the operation, saying the attack complied with international humanitarian law.
Kyiv maintained that the targeted command unit was directly linked to military activities and argued that its actions were aimed at weakening Russian operational capabilities rather than harming civilians.
The incident comes amid intensifying drone warfare between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides increasingly relying on aerial strikes deep inside contested and occupied territories.
As accusations and counter-accusations continue to mount, fears remain high that the latest episode could trigger a sharper military response from Moscow in the coming days.
