The tragic death toll now stands at 40 – including three children – with 30 people still missing
By Athena Papakosta
Rescue crews continue to comb through what’s left of the apartment building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro after a Russian missile strike last Saturday. The tragic death toll now stands at 40 – including three children – with 30 people still missing and hopes of survivors fading.
Of this block of flats, almost nothing remains standing. At the scene the only thing that can be heard is the silence of the residents who are waiting for someone to be found alive. With flowers, candles and toys in hand they pray for a miracle.
A total of 1,700 people (!) lived in this multi-storey building, with rescue crews continuing their search for victims or survivors in the wreckage. A total of 79 people were injured while 39 people were rescued.
The Kremlin denies that Russian forces targeted the apartment building. “The Russian armed forces do not bomb residential buildings, nor civilian infrastructure. They bomb military targets,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov underlined, adding that “the situation in Dnipro is a result of Ukrainian anti-aircraft missiles and anti-aircraft defense system “.
The strike in Dnipro came amid a series of Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian territory. Kyiv stressed that its air defenses are unable to shoot down the missile that hit the apartment building. It is a Soviet-era Kh-22 missile that is characterized by low accuracy and was developed during the Cold War to destroy warships.
In his evening address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack a war crime and promised those responsible would be brought to justice. “We will use all available opportunities, nationally and internationally, to ensure that all Russian murderers, all those who give and execute orders for missile terrorism against our people, receive legal sentences and serve them,” he said. Ukrainian president. At the same time, the Security Service of Ukraine named six members of the Russian military citing findings of a preliminary investigation.
In one month this war will complete a year, a whole year of despair, destitution and hatred. The fighting in eastern Ukraine has not stopped. Military analysts say both sides are likely to face heavy casualties, while Moscow – which a year ago believed its special military operation was a matter of weeks – now appears to be seeking to show it is preparing for a long war.
As we continue to move into winter, the lines on the battlefield have not changed significantly. The Ukrainians are still fighting but it has been a while since they last managed to recapture ground. But the Russians, for their part, are – after some time – starting to record gains on the battlefield again despite the fact that Kiev has been militarily and economically strengthened by the united West and despite the fact that the Russian military leadership has changed for the second time once within 90 days.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, Moscow is eager and seeking to end Kiev’s streak of operational success. Military analysts say the Kremlin will seek to increase and expand its military action. A fact which, according to the Institute, would amount to an increase in Kiev’s need for more military aid from the West. After all, the Ukrainian president, in his speech last night, asked his western allies to speed up the decision-making on the military reinforcement of Ukraine.
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
