Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin threatens ‘retaliation’ after claiming Kyiv struck student dormitory

Vladimir Putin has threatened retaliation over a deadly attack on a student dormitory in occupied Luhansk overnight.

The Russian president said on Friday that six people were killed and 39 injured in a drone attack at the Starobilsk College, accusing Ukraine of committing a “terrorist attack”.

Fifteen people are still reported missing as emergency teams continue rescue efforts at the scene. Images shared by Moscow-installed officials showed a collapsed building in the Russian-controlled town.

Putin insisted that the strike was not accidental and said that he had asked the defence ministry to prepare options for retaliation.

Ukraine is yet to comment on the strike and The Independent was unable to verify Moscow’s claims. Both sides deny deliberately targeting civilian areas.

Russia’s RIA state news agency reported earlier that a dorm housing 86 students collapsed following a “massive drone strike” on the Luhansk Pedagogical University.Europe floats temporary reprieve on sanctions hitting targeting

The European Commission proposed a 9-month derogation on dealings with a Chinese semiconductor company listed in its 20th package of sanctions against Russia, a Commission spokesperson has said.

The company, Yangzhou Yangjie Electronic, will remain on the EU's sanctions list but the temporary reprieve will allow automakers to find alternative chip supplies and avoid a "severe disruption", the spokesperson said.

EU countries will have to unanimously agree on the proposal for the measure to come into force.

James Reynolds22 May 2026 17:00In pictures: Ukrainian forces try to intercept a Russian drone in Kharkiv

Khartiia Brigade service members fire a Turkish-made M2 Browning machine gun as they attempt to intercept an incoming Russian Molniya drone on May 21 (Getty)

Units of the Khartiia Brigade are tasked with detecting and intercepting incoming drones to help protect civilians (Getty)

James Reynolds22 May 2026 16:00Putin vows retaliation over 'Ukrainian strike on student dorms'

Vladimir Putin has threatened retaliation over a Ukrainian strike reported to have struck a student dormitory in occupied Luhansk.

The Russian president claimed on Friday that six people were killed and 39 injured overnight, accusing Ukraine of committing a “terrorist attack”.

Fifteen people are still reported missing as emergency teams continue rescue efforts at the scene, he said.

Putin assessed that the strike was not accidental and said that he had asked the defence ministry to prepare options for retaliation.

Ukraine is yet to comment on the strike. Both sides deny deliberately targeting civilian areas. The Independent was unable to verify the claims.

Russia’s RIA state news agency reported earlier that a dorm housing 86 students collapsed following a “massive drone strike” on the Starobilsk College of Luhansk Pedagogical University.

A photo shared by the Moscow-appointed head of Luhansk region shows a university college building damaged by Ukrainian drones in Starobilsk, Ukraine (AP)

James Reynolds22 May 2026 15:36Recap: Rubio defends US record on Ukraine

Ukraine is “getting more support than ever” as a result of the US selling defence equipment to Nato allies, Marco Rubio said during a meeting with partners in Europe on Friday.

The US secretary of state defended the Trump administration’s record in selling arms to allies to be given to Ukraine through the PURL initiative, stressing the value of the military alliance to Nato.

“I understand Nato’s valuable to Europe, and it should be,” he said, adding: “It also has to be valuable to the United States.”

Donald Trump has floated leaving the military alliance and withdrawn direct support for Ukraine offered under the Biden administration since returning to office last year.

The comments come amid a widening rift between Europe and the US over Europe’s perceived lack of support for Trump’s war in Iran and US threats to withdraw troops from the old continent.

Trump surprised Nato allies this week by pledging to send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, but Rubio cautioned ministers that Washington’s frustrations would still have to be addressed.

James Reynolds22 May 2026 15:30Russia says four killed, 35 children wounded in Ukrainian attack

Russian officials say that at least four people were killed and 35 children wounded in an overnight Ukrainian attack on a student dorm in Russian-controlled Luhansk.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine, which seeks to retake the eastern region. The Independent was unable to verify the claims.

Yana Lantratova, Russia's Human Rights Commissioner, said that 86 teenagers aged 14 to 18 had been asleep inside the hostel belonging to Luhansk Pedagogical University's Starobilsk college when Ukrainian drones attacked it during the night.

Both sides deny deliberately targeting civilians.

James Reynolds22 May 2026 15:00Rubio acknowledges US-mediated talks so far 'not fruitful'

Rubio goes on to acknowledge that US-mediated talks between Ukraine and Russia have so far not been “frutiful”.

“If we see an opportunity to pull together talks that are productive, not counterproductive, and that have the chance to be fruitful, we’re prepared to play that role,” he adds.

James Reynolds22 May 2026 14:50Ukraine is getting more support than ever, says Rubio

Speaking now at a Nato meeting of foreign ministers in Sweden, Marco Rubio says Ukraine is “getting more support than they ever have” through the PURL programme.

He adds that the US is interested in “productive talks” on Ukraine, but criticises allies over their lack of support on Iran.

“I understand Nato’s valuable to Europe, and it should be,” he says.

“It also has to be valuable to the United States, so we always have to make that argument in every administration, in every era, and that’s what we’re in the process of doing now, is explaining, you know, this is the value of Nato to the United States, related to that, is what our force posture is within that alliance, what our contributions are.”

James Reynolds22 May 2026 14:44Watch: Inside Nato’s London tube war drill

Nato’s UK-run command centre took over Charing Cross tube to test its ability to fight off Russia amid continued criticism that Britain isn’t war ready.

As part of Operation Arcade Strike, soldiers are testing Nato’s capacity to use electronic warfare to jam Russia’s communications and down the Kremlin’s drones in case of a fictional Russian invasion of a Baltic country:

James Reynolds22 May 2026 14:28$1m worth of emergency aid destroyed in Russian strike on Ukraine

The UN’s refugee agency said on Friday that it had lost $1m worth of emergency aid in a Russian missile strike that hit one of its warehouses in Dnipro, Ukraine.

The warehouse, which contained emergency shelter materials including sleeping mats and hygiene kits, was destroyed and Wednesday and two people were killed, the UNCHR representative in Kyiv said.

Bernadette Castel-Hollingworth said it was the first time a UNHCR facility had been “targeted or attacked”.

The supplies were destined to be distributed to displaced and war-affected people in frontline areas in Ukraine, and deprive people of critical assistance at a time of significant need as forced displacement and evacuations continue from frontline regions, according to UNHCR.

James Reynolds22 May 2026 14:00France eyes involvement in British-German long-range missile programme

France is reportedly looking to join a British-German plan to make new long-range missiles as Europe weans itself off military reliance on the United States.

Sources familiar with the discussions told the Financial Times that Paris has formally expressed interest in joining the deep precision strike programme.

The three nations are hoping to hold trilateral talks early next month, the newspaper reports.

The programme aims to build a series of ground-launched missiles with a range of more than 2,000km, capable of hitting military targets deep inside Russia.

James Reynolds22 May 2026 13:46