The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has once again
reached a point where there are signs of a significant increase in tension and
a major change in military strategy. Russian Ambassador Albert P. Khorev
claimed during an emergency briefing in Islamabad that the attack on an
educational institution in the city of Starobelsk in the Luhansk People’s
Republic is one of the most tragic incidents to have occurred during the war.
According to the Russian position, on the night of May 22,
Ukrainian forces targeted a college and a student hostel where dozens of
students were staying through a drone attack. The attack killed 21 young people
and injured more than 60 people. Russia says that the majority of those killed
were young female students who were about to complete their studies.
Moscow is calling the incident not just a military operation
but a serious violation of international humanitarian law. Russian officials
argue that targeting civilians, especially children and students, is a
violation of the Geneva Conventions and international treaties on children's
rights. The Russian ambassador described the attack as a "red line"
after which Russia decided to fundamentally change its military strategy.
In this context, Russia launched large-scale retaliatory
strikes against various military and industrial centers in Ukraine. According
to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the targets of these operations were
facilities where drones are manufactured, programmed, and planned for military
use. Russia claimed that modern ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles were
used in these attacks, while Ukraine's air defenses were not fully successful
in intercepting them.
The Russian leadership says that these operations are not
just a one-time response, but will continue regularly in the future. According
to Moscow, Ukraine's military infrastructure, fuel reserves, and military
transport centers are now among the priorities of Russian attacks.
The Russian ambassador also strongly criticized the behavior
of Western countries and international organizations. According to him, there
was no significant international response to the Starobelsk incident, while
Western governments immediately criticized Moscow after the Russian
counterattacks. Russia calls this behavior a "double standard" and
believes that some international organizations are not treating both sides of
the conflict equally.
Ambassador Khorev further claimed that Russia tried to show
the facts on the ground by sending foreign journalists to Starobelsk. According
to him, journalists from several countries, including Pakistan, observed the
affected area, but some Western media organizations did not participate in the
visit.
Russia has also expressed serious concern over drone attacks
near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in recent weeks. Moscow argues that
military operations near nuclear facilities can have dangerous consequences for
the entire region and the world. Russian officials have called on the
International Atomic Energy Agency to impartially review these events.
Ambassador Albert Khorev concluded his speech by praising Pakistan’s role and said that Islamabad has adopted a balanced and cautious stance regarding the Ukraine conflict. According to him, Russia views this approach of Pakistan with great respect and diplomatic contacts between the two countries are ongoing.
The Ukraine war has now entered its third decade and the
conflict is becoming more complex with each new incident. The Starobelsk
tragedy and the subsequent Russian retaliation indicate that the prospects for
ending the war currently appear limited, while both sides are trying to impose
their respective positions on the global stage by accusing each other of
violating international law.
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