“We fight for all human beings,” emphasized Zelenskyy after the devastating Russian attack. “And the rescue work will continue as long as there is even the slightest chance of saving a life.” At the same time, the President thanked the international sympathy and once again appealed for more weapons from the West for his country.
In Russian, he addressed the people of the neighboring country: “I would like to address everyone in Russia who, even now, does not have a few words of condemnation for this terror, although they see and understand everything clearly. Your cowardly silence will only serve to get it over with one day these terrorists will be after you too.”
Rescuers reported that people were still screaming under the rubble. Also because of the cold, concern for those buried is growing, she said. “Burning in hell, Russian murderers,” regional council chairman Mykola Lukaschuk wrote on Telegram after Saturday’s attack.
Part of the multi-storey building was completely destroyed. Rescuers worked all night. They said they heard people screaming for help under the rubble. According to official information, 38 people, including six children, had been rescued by Sunday morning. The Ukrainian General Staff said Russia had launched three waves of attacks on Saturday, using 57 missiles, among others. 26 of them were shot down by air defense.
The presidential administration in Kyiv released photos of the crumbling building. The head of the presidential office Andriy Yermak was shocked: “Russians are terrorists who will be punished for everything. Everyone – without exception.” He said the anti-aircraft and air force were doing their job. “Let’s fight back.” The enemy does not change tactics and continues to attack civilian infrastructure.
The attack on Dnipro, in Ukraine’s central region of Dnipropetrovsk, was the most important of several attacks on Saturday. There were aerial alerts across the country at times. It was the first major Russian attack of its kind since the turn of the year. According to the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform, at least 26 civilians were killed across the country and more than 80 were injured in addition to the attack on the apartment building. The leadership in Kyiv strongly condemned the attacks and once again spoke of “Russian terror”.
Russia’s Defense Ministry has not commented on the high civilian casualties. Instead, ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov simply said on Sunday, in light of the latest attacks: “All designated objects have been hit. The objective of the attack has been achieved.” The situation in the particularly harsh areas of Soledar and Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine remained unclear.
Moscow just declared that land had been conquered in the Bakhmut area, and Russian soldiers were closing in on the northern suburbs of the city. President Vladimir Putin was pleased and spoke of a positive trend. “I hope that our fighters will please us with further results of their battles,” he said on the Rossiya 1 channel. Everything is going according to plan.
Meanwhile, three soldiers were killed and 16 wounded at a barracks in the Belgorod region of western Russia as a result of a powerful explosion. Russian media.
Reportedly, a non-commissioned officer accidentally detonated a hand grenade, after which a fire broke out in the building. He himself suffered serious injuries and was taken to a hospital, Russian state news agency Interfax reported, citing emergency services. The Baza internet portal, for its part, reported that the man handled the grenade in a cultural center that had been converted into a headquarters near the city of Korocha to gain authority with the military under his command.
According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Ukraine must be equipped with the necessary weapons to win. “We are in a crucial phase of the war”, he told the German “Handelsblatt”. Military support is the quickest path to peace. “Recent heavy war engagements are important – and I expect more in the near future.”
He does not expect relations with Russia to normalize even after the end of the war, at least while President Vladimir Putin is in office. Putin wants a different Europe. “He wants a Europe in which he can control his neighbors. He sees democracy and freedom as a threat to his regime.”