KYIV, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Ukraine and Russia exchanged accusations regarding a fatal missile strike on Saturday that resulted in the deaths of at least four individuals at a dormitory of a boarding school located in a part of Russia's Kursk region controlled by Kyiv forces.
Some of the most intense battles in recent months have occurred in the vicinity that borders Ukraine, where Kyiv forces have maintained control over large portions of the territory following a significant cross-border incursion last August.
Ukraine's Armed Forces reported via the Telegram messaging app that Russia had carried out an aerial bombing from Russian territory, targeting a boarding school in Sudzha and resulting in the deaths of at least four individuals. The boarding school accommodated individuals preparing for evacuation.
By 10 p.m. (2000 GMT) on Saturday, 84 individuals had either been rescued or received medical attention, as stated in the report. Four of the injured were in critical condition, while efforts to clear debris and rescue remaining individuals were ongoing.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned the attack on Sudzha, located approximately 12 km (7.5 miles) from the Ukrainian border, stating that it exemplifies Russia's approach to warfare.
"They demolished the building despite the presence of numerous civilians," Zelenskiy stated on the X social media platform.
"This mirrors Russia's conduct in wars such as Chechnya decades ago and with Syrians. Russian airstrikes are obliterating Ukrainian homes in a similar manner."
Russia's Defense Ministry announced early Sunday on Telegram that Ukrainian forces had launched "a deliberate missile strike on a boarding school in the city of Sudzha" from Ukrainian territory.
In a statement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova labeled the strike a "terrorist act" and pledged to hold Kyiv accountable.
Acting Governor of the Kursk region in Russia, Alexander Khinshtein, similarly attributed the strike to Ukrainian forces, noting a lack of confirmed details on potential casualties.
Earlier, Ukraine's military spokesperson, Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyi, shared in a video on Facebook his concern that nearly 100 individuals were trapped under debris at the site, predominantly elderly and infirm residents.
Neither side's claims have been independently verified by Reuters, and the full extent of the attack remains unclear.
While both parties deny targeting civilians in the conflict that escalated with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, numerous civilians, the majority of them Ukrainian, have tragically lost their lives.