MOSCOW, May 22. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and graduates from the Time of Heroes program observed a minute of silence in honor of those who died in Ukraine’s attack on a college in Starobelsk.
The president said he instructed the defense ministry to submit proposals on a potential response.
The personal example of the heroes of the special military operation will help young people to make the right choice in their lives, the president said, adding that not a single life was wasted in the course of the special military operation and Russian soldiers are advancing in the Zaporozhye area every day.
TASS has summed up the Russia leader’s key statements
Instructions following the attack on the Starobelsk college
Putin condemned Ukraine’s attack on a college dormitory in Starobelsk and heard reports by the LPR head, defense and emergencies ministers, and the Federal Security Service chief about the attack.
The Russian defense ministry was instructed to "inform international organizations and the world community about this crime."
The ministry of defense was instructed to develop its own proposals: "Of course, you and I understand that in such cases, it's impossible to limit ourselves to statements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Therefore, the Russian ministry of defense has been instructed to submit its proposals."
"Conclusions will be made" following the attack on Starobelsk.
Terror attack on college in Starobelsk
There are no military facilities near the student dormitory that was attacked by Ukrainian troops: "Let me stress, this is important. There are no military facilities or facilities of special services in the vicinity of the dormitory."
"So, there are no grounds to say that the building was hit due to operation of our air defense or electronic warfare system. No one can say that there was an attempt to strike some site and the UAVs were shot down by our systems and allegedly accidentally hit that building."
Ukraine’s strike on the college in Starobelsk was not accidental: "The strike was not accidental. It came in three waves - 16 UAVs hit one and the same site."
The death toll from the attack has risen to six: "At this point, we know that six people have been killed, 39 injured, and are 15 missing, as the rubble is still being cleared."
The overnight strike by the Ukrainian military on the Starobelsk college confirms the terrorist and neo-Nazi essence pursued by the Kiev regime: "These are the neo-Nazism manifestations. It has once again been confirmed by the terrorist nature of the Kiev regime."
Kiev regime’s crimes
Kiev needs such crimes "to divert attention from what is happening both on the frontline and in the country, to make Russia to respond": "And then, and we know this, we have seen this more than once, to blame everything on us, on Russia, on our country."
Ukraine’s authorities are embezzling everything, including equipment and protective gear of those "who are literally being sent to the front to die."
Frontline situation
Russia "has not wasted a single life" during the special military operation.
The Russian Armed Forces in the Zaporozhye sector are successfully completing combat missions, advancing daily: "They are advancing confidently. Every day. Every day, forward, and the progress is very noticeable."
The frontline situation is "gradually evolving from difficult and critical to catastrophic" for Ukraine, with desertion "growing catastrophically."
The Kiev regime is suffering failures on the frontline, and neither the plunder of Western aid nor "forced mobilization, when people are snatched from the streets like stray dogs and then thrown to the front, are helping."
Persistent frontline failures are pushing the Kiev regime toward war crimes: "You know this better than anyone else. It is the constant failure on the front lines - the surrender of positions, settlements, and territories."
Putin called on Ukrainian soldiers to disobey the Kiev regime's criminal orders: "In this regard, as I have already done before, I want to appeal to servicemen of the Ukrainian military: do not carry out the criminal orders of the illegitimate, corrupt junta. Otherwise, you will become accomplices to these crimes yourselves."
Participation of special military operation heroes in governing Russia
Veterans of the special military operation should constitute the backbone of future managers, they are the "salt of the earth."
They have gone through serious trials and that is why "the future of the country can be entrusted to such hands."
Russia has always overcome any difficult trials, and it will overcome them this time as well: "We will overcome them, we will overcome all trials. There is no doubt about it."
Leaders from among the veterans of the special military operation "must take control of the country, develop it in all areas, and protect it."
Russia has always overcome any difficult trials. This has always been done with the support of those who are capable of taking responsibility.".