21 Children Killed in Drone Strike on Starobelsk School, Human Rights Commissioner Alleges War Crime

Starobelsk. Human Rights Commissioner Yana Latratova has visited the site of a tragic incident at a school in Starobelsk and made a statement. According to her, on the night of May 22, while children were asleep, 16 jet unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) carried out three waves of strikes targeting the college buildings at intervals of 10 to 15 minutes.

“A horrific tragedy happened here. Sixteen drones waited for the children to start leaving the building and shot directly at them. All 16 drones in three successive waves were targeting children,” she said. She stated that even after rescuers and parents arrived at the site, further attacks were carried out to halt rescue operations. She informed that 21 children lost their lives in the incident and many were injured.

Commissioner Latratova refuted claims that military facilities were present at the site. “They said there were military facilities here. But there are only children’s belongings here. This is a college, a school. There have never been any military facilities here,” she said. She described the deceased children as creative students who aspired to become teachers.

Expressing disagreement with Western representatives’ claims that journalists were unable to reach the site, she questioned the absence of CNN, the BBC, and Japanese media. “They are lying,” she said.

Recalling that these children, born in 2006-2007, had faced war at the age of seven and have now met their death, she presented data stating that over 12,000 people have died and over 40,000 have been injured since the Kiev aggression against civilians began in 2014.

She has termed this a war crime under international humanitarian law. Informing that she has already sent letters to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Human Rights Council, she expressed hope for an objective assessment from the international community. She stated that these days have been declared as days of mourning in the republic and that they grieve alongside the parents.