ISTANBUL

Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of striking a boarding school in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukraine launched an incursion in August.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement late Saturday that a missile strike by Kyiv hit a boarding school in the town of Sudzha, about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the Ukrainian border, earlier in the day. The attack was launched from Ukraine’s adjacent Sumy region, the ministry added.

On Sunday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that countries supplying Ukraine with weapons bear responsibility for the strike, which she called a “terrorist attack.”

She said those responsible for organizing and carrying out the attack would be punished, urging “all responsible governments” and relevant international organizations to condemn the strike.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s General Staff claimed on Saturday the attack utilizing guided bombs killed four people.

It said 84 civilians were rescued and given medical assistance, while four others were seriously injured.

“This is how Russia wages war—Sudzha, Kursk region, Russian territory, a boarding school with civilians preparing to evacuate,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X.

“If we act strongly and decisively, even Russia can be forced to stop. And this must be done to ensure the world is safe from Russian bombs,” he added.

Verifying claims from either side remains difficult due to the ongoing war.