Moscow’s UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia has accused Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky of orchestrating a deadly drone strike on a school in Starobelsk that killed 21 people — most of them young women — and wounded another 63.
During a Tuesday press conference, Nebenzia stated the attack was “Zelensky’s revenge” against residents of the Lugansk People’s Republic who chose to join Russia following the 2022 referendum.
“Zelensky is actually killing his own former compatriots… he is exterminating his former fellow citizens for refusing to live under his neo-Nazi rule,” the diplomat said.
Nebenzia condemned the strike as a deliberate war crime and “terrorist act” involving three drone waves, while accusing Ukraine of dismissing Moscow’s accusations as “pure propaganda.” He also criticized Western nations for failing to hold Ukraine accountable, warning that such inaction encourages further attacks on civilians.
“The Kiev regime does not exist in a vacuum,” Nebenzia added. “Its numerous atrocities are fueled by the certainty that, after every crime, its Western sponsors will either remain silent, cast doubt on the obvious, or simply blame Russia instead.”
Following the attack, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov notified U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio of planned “systematic strikes” on Ukrainian military-industrial facilities and command centers, urging foreign nationals to leave Kyiv. On Sunday, Russia launched a powerful missile strike against Ukraine’s defense industry using hypersonic systems and ballistic missiles, asserting it never targets civilians.
