President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of bombing a boarding school in the Russian-occupied town of Sudzha in the Kursk region, where civilians had been sheltering and preparing for evacuation. The Ukrainian army reported that the strike killed four people and left dozens, including many elderly, injured. Over 80 people were rescued from the building.
While Ukraine claims the attack was deliberate, carried out by a guided aerial bomb, Moscow has denied responsibility, instead blaming Ukraine for the bombing. The attack has further escalated tensions, with Zelensky calling Russia’s actions “a state devoid of civility” in a post on X.
According to Ukraine’s general staff, the bombing was aimed at a civilian shelter, killing four and injuring many more. Zelensky compared the attack to Russia’s past actions in Chechnya and Syria, condemning the use of aerial bombs to target civilian areas.
The Russian defense ministry, however, insists that Ukraine launched the attack with missiles on Saturday. The Kursk region has been under Ukrainian control for several months, after Ukraine’s lightning offensive into Russian-held territory last August. This event is being used by both sides to further advance their political narratives in the ongoing war.