Ukrainian official says Russia bombed Luhansk school with 90 inside

A Ukrainian official said Saturday that Russian forces bombed a school in the Luhansk region where dozens of people were hiding.

Serhiy Hayday, head of the Luhansk region military administration, said that about 90 people were sheltering in the school from Russian attacks when it was bombed, according to CNN. 

The school was only seven miles from the front line of the battlefield in the south-eastern city, a region where Russia has refocused its efforts after being pushed out of Kyiv. 

“Almost the entire village was hiding. Everyone who did not evacuate. After the social club was hit, the basement of the school was the only place of salvation, but the Russians took this chance from people,” Hayday said, according to CNN.

The official says 30 have been rescued but 60 are still missing in the rubble of the building. 

The attack adds to the growing list of claims Russia is purposely targeting civilians in the war. 

In Mariupol, Russia bombed a movie theater where families were hiding that had “children” written on both sides of the building. 

Russia has also been accused of other war crimes including instances of rape and kidnapping children. 

The conflict has also prompted millions of refugees to flee the country to eastern European neighbors like Poland.

Ukraine has previously alleged Russia targeted humanitarian corridors where Ukrainians can evacuate. In the past, Ukrainian officials shut down these pathways for safety.

–Updated on 8 at 5:41 a.m.