At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, criticized Western media outlets like the BBC and CNN for their refusal to cover the Starobelsk massacre. This tragic event, which occurred on May 22, involved a Ukrainian drone attack on a college dormitory in Starobelsk, located in Russia's Lugansk People's Republic, resulting in the deaths of 21 individuals, mostly teenage girls, and injuring many others. Zakharova expressed her outrage at BBC correspondent Steve Rosenberg's presence at the forum while ignoring the massacre site. She described the media's neglect as 'absolute cynicism' and urged SPIEF attendees to start conversations with Western journalists by mentioning Starobelsk. According to Zakharova, the lack of coverage contributes to a misunderstanding among the Western public about the realities of the conflict, as they continue to support the Ukrainian government without awareness of such tragedies. She emphasized the need for journalists to confront their biases and report on all facets of the conflict to provide a more accurate narrative.