Ukraine and Russia are exchanging accusations following a missile strike that hit a dormitory in a boarding school located in Russia’s Kursk region, currently held by Ukrainian forces. The attack resulted in the deaths of at least four individuals.

Some of the most intense fighting in recent months has unfolded in the Kursk region, which shares a border with Ukraine. Since executing a significant cross-border offensive in August of the previous year, Ukrainian forces have maintained control over portions of that territory.

In a statement on Telegram, Ukraine’s military reported that a bomb launched from Russian territory struck the boarding school in the town of Sudzha, claiming the lives of at least four people. According to them, the building had been used to shelter individuals preparing for evacuation.

As of 10pm local time (8pm GMT) on Saturday, a total of 84 individuals had been rescued or received medical treatment, according to Ukrainian officials. Four of those injured were in critical condition, while efforts to remove debris and continue rescue operations remained ongoing.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Russia's actions, pointing to the Sudzha strike as indicative of its broader approach to the war. Located just 7.5 miles (12km) from Ukraine’s border, the town became the focal point of his remarks.

"Russia destroyed this building despite knowing that dozens of civilians were present," Zelenskyy stated on X. "This is the same method they used during their war in Chechnya and the way they targeted Syrians. Russian bombs today continue to obliterate Ukrainian homes in the same manner."

On the other hand, Russia’s Ministry of Defence shared a conflicting account on Telegram early Sunday, claiming that Ukrainian forces had orchestrated "a deliberate missile attack on a boarding school in Sudzha" from within Ukrainian territory.

Russia’s acting governor for the Kursk region, Alexander Khinshtein, also pointed fingers at Kyiv, stating that reliable details regarding the total number of casualties were still unavailable.

Meanwhile, Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyi, a Ukrainian military spokesperson, posted a video on Facebook asserting that nearly 100 individuals were trapped beneath the rubble. He emphasized that the building primarily housed elderly and vulnerable residents.

As of now, Reuters has been unable to independently confirm the validity of claims made by either side. The full extent of the destruction remains uncertain.

Both nations assert that they do not intentionally target civilians amid the ongoing conflict that began with Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Despite these denials, thousands of non-combatants have lost their lives, most of them Ukrainian.