Russia officials say Ukraine hit Donetsk university with cluster shells

Following Ukrainian bombardment on Saturday, flames overtook a university building’s wooden roof in Donetsk, according to an emergency official in the Russia-controlled city in eastern Ukraine.

“As a result of the latest attack on Donetsk, the first building of the University of Economics and Trade is on fire,” Alexei Kulemzin, the Russia-installed mayor, said on Telegram.

“We are using 12 water tanks, three ladders and 100 firefighters,” said Alexei Kostrubitsky, the Russia-installed emergency minister for the region that Moscow calls the Donetsk People’s Republic.

“The whole roof is on fire.”

According to Kostrubitsky, Ukrainian soldiers deployed cluster bombs in the firing that started the fire. The information could not be independently verified by Reuters. Cluster bombs were employed by both sides during Russia’s 17-month invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine, which got US cluster bombs last month, has pledged to use them solely to disperse enemy troop concentrations.

Ukraine had no quick response to the purported bombardment. Both parties claim that they are not targeting people or civilian infrastructure.

According to Kostrubitsky, no one was inside the building at the time of the bombardment.

“The most difficult thing is that the roof is wooden, so the fire spreads fast.”

Russia’s RIA state news agency cited Kostrubitsky and emergency services as saying the fire spread to an area of about 1,800 sq m (19,400 sq ft) before being contained early on Sunday.