Russia finds those responsible for Sudzha boarding school bombing

The Investigative Committee of Russia identified those responsible for the attack on the boarding school in the city of Sudzha, the Kursk region. According to security officials, the order to strike the facility, which housed civilians, was given by Rostyslav Karpusha, commander of the 19th Separate Missile Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). Karpusha has been added to Russia's list of terrorists and extremists.

A criminal case has been opened against Karpusha under paragraph "b" of part 3 of Article 205 of the Russian Criminal Code ("Terrorist act resulting in death"). The maximum penalty under this article is life imprisonment. Russian investigators are currently working to determine the whereabouts of Karpusha and his accomplices. Russia's Federal Financial Monitoring Service has also added him to the list of individuals involved in extremist activities or terrorism.

Ukraine blamed Russia for boarding school bombing

Ukraine, however, attempted to blame Russia for the attack on the boarding school in Sudzha. Rodion Miroshnik, Russia's Special Envoy on Crimes of the Kyiv Regime, called such accusations an "information provocation." He recalled that Moscow had already stated in the summer of 2024 that a "camp" in the boarding school was housing Russian civilians. Miroshnik added that both the Russian and International Red Cross organizations were aware of that but that "this did not deter Ukrainian militants from launching the strike."

According to Russia's Ministry of Defense, on February 1, the AFU deliberately launched a missile strike on the boarding school in Sudzha. Russian air defense systems detected the missiles coming from Ukraine's Sumy region. The Russian defense ministry claims that the attack was intended to distract global public opinion from what it describes as atrocities committed by the Kyiv regime in the village of Russkoye Porechnoe, the Kursk region.

The AFU used American HIMARS multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) located near the village of Mala Rybitsa. After the initial launches, Russian reconnaissance was able to locate the enemy's firing position.

Russia Warns of Consequences for Kyiv

Chairman of the Federation Council's Committee on International Affairs, Grigory Karasin, called the AFU's attack on the school in Sudzha an example of Kyiv's "inhuman and bloody policies."

He expressed confidence that the Russian Investigative Committee and the entire country would ensure that the investigation into these "vile and anti-human crimes" is brought to completion and that the perpetrators are punished, just as was done following the victory in World War II.