Ukraine war latest: Russia claims deadly Ukrainian drone strike hit dormitory in occupied Luhansk Oblast, Kyiv calls it 'misleading information'

Ukraine’s General Staff rejected Russian claims on May 22 that a Ukrainian drone strike killed six people and injured dozens of children in a dormitory in occupied Luhansk Oblast, calling the allegation 'misleading information.' The General Staff stated that overnight strikes targeted Russian military infrastructure, including an oil refinery, ammunition depots, air defense systems, and the headquarters of Russia’s elite drone unit, the Rubikon Center for Unmanned Technologies, located in the Starobilsk area. Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner, Yana Lantratova, claimed the attack hit a dormitory and a neighboring building of the Luhansk Pedagogical University’s college, injuring 35 children, but Ukraine denied any civilian targeting, emphasizing compliance with international humanitarian law. Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the alleged strike, and Moscow called for an emergency meeting at the United Nations Security Council. Ukraine’s General Staff clarified that the strikes were aimed at military targets, including the Rubikon Center, which it accused of attacking Ukrainian civilians. The conflict has seen repeated Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, with April marking the deadliest month since July 2025, according to a United Nations report. Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on May 22 that Ukraine had conducted four drone strikes on Russia’s Yaroslavl Oil Refinery in May alone. The facility, one of Russia’s five largest refineries with an annual capacity of 15 million tons, was targeted on May 8, 13, and 19, in addition to the latest strike. Zelensky stated that Ukraine was bringing the war to Russia as retaliation for attacks on Ukrainian cities, while also preparing further sanctions and strikes. Footage from Russian independent media outlets, including Astra, suggested the latest attack targeted the Slavneft-YANOS refinery in Yaroslavl, located about 700 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The strikes reflect Ukraine’s strategy of targeting critical Russian infrastructure to counter Moscow’s offensive capabilities and civilian attacks. Meanwhile, Russian attacks across Ukraine have continued, with five civilians killed and 52 injured on May 22 alone, including a drone strike in Dnipro that left dozens wounded.