Following a Ukrainian strike on a dormitory in Starobilsk that left several missing, Vladimir Putin has vowed retaliation and called on Ukrainian soldiers to disobey their government.
The Starobilsk Dormitory Attack
Ukrainian forces conducted an attack on Thursday evening, May 21. According to Russian authorities, 86 people between the ages of 14 and 18 were inside the dormitory at the time, and over a dozen individuals remain missing.
Reuters reported that Putin emphasized the strike was not accidental, noting that three waves of 16 drones targeted the same location, which he claimed lacked any military or intelligence facilities.
Putin’s Ultimatum to Ukrainian Troops
Meeting with veterans in the “Time of Heroes” program, Putin characterized the attack as a sign of Kyiv’s failure on the front lines. He labeled the Ukrainian leadership a “thieving junta” and urged soldiers to ignore what he termed “criminal orders” to avoid becoming accomplices to the regime’s actions.
The Russian leader further stated that the situation for Ukrainian forces on the front is “gradually changing from difficult to catastrophic.”
Diplomatic and Military Escalation
Russia has requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting, demanding that UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk publicly condemn the incident. The Russian Foreign Ministry accused Kyiv of opening a new chapter in the conflict by targeting defenseless children.
In response to the strike, Putin confirmed that he has ordered the Russian military to prepare various retaliatory measures.
