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In a stark escalation of tensions, Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed retaliation after accusing Ukraine of a drone attack that resulted in the deaths of six individuals at a student dormitory in Starobilsk, a city in the Luhansk region under Russian control. The assault, which occurred overnight, left 39 others injured and 15 people still unaccounted for, raising concerns over the continuing violence in the conflict-ridden area.
Casualties and Accusations
As the situation unfolds, Putin has characterised the Ukrainian strike as a significant escalation, claiming the operation involved three waves of drone assaults using a total of 16 unmanned aerial vehicles. Russia’s state media reported on one of the injured, a 19-year-old student named Diana Shovkun, who suffered head injuries from falling debris. However, the Russian government has not released any visual evidence of the fatalities it claims occurred during the attack.
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