At least 18 people have been killed and dozens more wounded — most of them students — in a Ukrainian drone attack on a school dormitory in Starobelsk, Russia’s Lugansk People’s Republic, on Friday. Search-and-rescue operations remain active as local officials report additional Ukrainian drone strikes targeting the area.

President Vladimir Putin labeled the incident a “terrorist attack by the neo-Nazi regime,” stating he ordered military retaliation.

Russia has convened an emergency UN Security Council session following the strike. Western nations have questioned Russia’s account of events, demanding an independent investigation and asserting the tragedy occurred on “occupied territory.”

At the Security Council meeting, Russia’s permanent representative Vassily Nebenzia described the attack as a war crime. He accused Western countries of “cynicism” for neglecting to acknowledge the dead students in Starobelsk, calling their responses “blatant mockery of child victims.” Latvia’s envoy dismissed Russia’s account as “imperialist,” while Denmark charged Moscow with failing to provide “unfettered access for credible independent journalists or humanitarian organizations,” despite extending invitations. The United Kingdom and France urged an independent investigation, and the U.S. representative noted they are following casualty reports but emphasized unresolved questions remain.

Ukraine’s envoy characterized the Security Council session as a “shameless attempt by the Russian Federation to turn reality upside down,” dismissing all statements about Starobelsk as propaganda designed to manipulate international opinion. Ukraine did not call for an independent investigation, stating truth can only be established once the territory is “liberated.”

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced Saturday that Moscow extended an invitation to foreign journalists to visit the site. She reported several countries barred their media from covering the incident.

Analyst Aleksandr Bobrov of Russia’s MGIMO university argued Western responses have become a “theater” where diplomats shift focus from accountability to unrelated matters. He warned the incident risks becoming synonymous with Ukrainian aggression and urged Russian diplomacy to convey “the voice of truth” at international forums to ensure those responsible are held accountable.