Emergency services in Ukraine have confirmed that at least three children were among the dead in the Russian missile strike that destroyed a residential building in Dnipro on Saturday, January 14, 2023. Officials say 34 people remain missing as search and rescue operations continue.
Kremlin Denial and Blame
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied responsibility, insisting Russian forces “do not strike residential buildings or social infrastructure” and instead target only military facilities. He also dismissed theories circulating online that Ukrainian air defense systems were to blame.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Moscow’s “cowardly silence” and vowed that search operations would continue “as long as necessary.”
Global Condemnation
The attack drew swift condemnation from European leaders:
- Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called the strike a “war crime.”
- German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged the creation of a special international tribunal to hold Russian leaders accountable.
- French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated that Russia must “answer for crimes in Ukraine.”
According to the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), more than 7,000 civilians have been killed since the invasion began in February 2022, most by missiles, artillery, and airstrikes.
Military Drills and Nuclear Oversight
In a separate development, Russia and Belarus began joint military exercises on Monday. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War said the risk of Belarus launching a new offensive or directly joining the conflict remains “very low.”
Meanwhile, Rafael Grossi, head of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), arrived in Ukraine to deploy observer missions at nuclear power plants, amid ongoing fears over safety at facilities like Zaporizhzhia, which has faced repeated shelling.
German Defence Minister Resigns
The crisis also pressured Germany’s government. Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht resigned after criticism over Berlin’s slow response to Kyiv’s request for advanced tanks, including the German-made Leopard 2.
