Category: International

MOSCOW, Russia (NPA) — Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying out a deadly drone strike on a college building and dormitory belonging to Lugansk State Pedagogical University in Starobelsk, in the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), killing at least four people and injuring dozens.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs alleged that the attack was carried out overnight on May 22 using four fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). According to the ministry, 86 children aged between 14 and 18 were inside the five-storey dormitory when the strike occurred, causing part of the building to collapse to the second floor.

Russian authorities said at least 40 people were injured, while rescue operations remained ongoing at the scene. Nearby residential houses, administrative buildings, and social facilities were also reportedly damaged in the attack.

The Russian government described the strike as a “deliberate terrorist attack” targeting civilians and accused the Ukrainian government of escalating the conflict through what it called “inhuman terror against defenceless children.”

“This strike could not have been accidental. It was a deliberate attack on civilians,” the statement said.

Russia further alleged that the attack was conducted using long-range weapons supplied to Ukraine by NATO countries, claiming foreign specialists provided technical assistance, intelligence data, and target designation support for the operation.

The Investigative Committee of Russia has since opened a criminal case into the incident, with authorities vowing to identify and prosecute those responsible.

The Foreign Ministry also accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian government of hypocrisy over previous concerns expressed about children affected by the war.

Russia called on international organisations, governments, and the global community to condemn the attack and warned that silence over the incident would amount to complicity.

The ministry expressed condolences to the families of those killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

Ukraine has not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of filing this report.

INTERNATIONAL (NPA) — The leadership of the European Parliament has strongly condemned what it described as “unfounded and dangerous” allegations by Russia against the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, expressing full solidarity with the three European Union member nations amid rising regional tensions.

In a statement released by the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament, EU leaders rejected claims by Moscow that the Baltic countries were preparing hostile actions against Russia or allowing their territories, airspace, or military facilities to be used for attacks against the Russian Federation.

The European Parliament said Latvia had categorically dismissed the accusations as disinformation, warning that the allegations were part of a broader campaign of intimidation, provocation and fake narratives targeted at EU member states.

According to the statement, the accusations come amid repeated incursions of unidentified drones into the airspace and territory of the Baltic states, describing such actions as unacceptable and dangerous to regional stability.

“The security of the Baltic states is the security of the European Union as a whole,” the statement read, stressing that no EU member state should face threats, intimidation or coercive pressure from Russia.

The European Parliament leadership also urged the European Commission, the EU High Representative and the Council to continue supporting Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in close coordination with NATO.

The lawmakers called for stronger airspace surveillance, enhanced counter-drone capabilities and improved situational awareness across the region to prevent further incursions.

They further appealed for intensified efforts to combat disinformation, protect the EU’s eastern flank and counter fake news campaigns that threaten European democracy and security.

The statement concluded with a call for unity among EU member states, warning against what it described as Russian attempts to destabilise neighbouring countries, undermine European security and divide the bloc.

INTERNATIONAL (NPA) — The governments of Russia and China have jointly declared support for the establishment of a multipolar world order and a new framework for international relations, warning against what they described as growing hegemonism, bloc confrontation and unilateral control of global affairs.

The joint statement comes as Vladimir Putin paid a state visit to China shortly after Donald Trump departed the country.

In a Joint Declaration released on May 20, both countries said the current international system is undergoing a “profound transformation” as global power shifts away from dominance by a small group of states toward what they called a more balanced and polycentric world order.

The declaration, titled “Joint Declaration of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China on the Establishment of a Multipolar World and a New Type of International Relations,” reaffirmed longstanding cooperation between the two nations and referenced a series of previous bilateral agreements dating back to 1997.

According to the statement, Russia and China described themselves as major centres of influence in the emerging multipolar system and pledged to continue playing what they called a constructive role in maintaining global balance and reforming international relations.

The two countries argued that the global political landscape has changed significantly since the end of World War II and the Cold War, pointing to the rise of sovereign states across Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Middle East.

They noted that the growing influence of developing nations and regional organisations demonstrates that attempts by certain countries to unilaterally dominate global affairs or impose their interests on other states have failed.

The declaration also criticised what it described as neocolonial tendencies in modern international politics, including the use of unilateral force, hegemonic policies, military alliances and bloc confrontation.

Russia and China warned that repeated violations of international law and weakening global governance institutions are creating new threats to peace and development, adding that the world risks returning to what they described as the “law of the jungle.”

As part of the declaration, both countries called on the international community to adopt principles aimed at building what they described as a more equal and orderly international system.

The first principle emphasised openness and mutually beneficial cooperation among sovereign states, while rejecting coercive policies and attempts to divide the world into rival blocs.

According to the statement, every country has the right to choose its own political and economic development model without outside interference.

The declaration also stressed the principle of “indivisible and equal security,” arguing that no country should strengthen its security at the expense of another.

Russia and China opposed the expansion of military alliances, proxy conflicts and hybrid warfare, while calling for disputes to be resolved peacefully through dialogue and respect for the security concerns of all nations.

The two governments further advocated reforms to global governance institutions, including the United Nations, insisting that developing countries should have greater representation and influence in international decision-making.

According to the declaration, the UN Charter remains the fundamental basis of international relations and should not be replaced by rules imposed by a limited group of countries.

The statement also emphasised cultural and civilizational diversity, arguing that no civilisation or value system should be regarded as superior to another.

Russia and China condemned the politicisation of human rights issues and opposed the use of human rights as justification for interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states.

The declaration additionally called for stronger dialogue among civilisations, religions and cultures, saying such engagement is necessary to promote mutual understanding and global stability.

Both countries concluded by pledging to continue developing a shared vision for what they described as a more equitable multipolar world and a new type of international relations based on equality, sovereignty and mutual respect.