DNIPRO, Ukraine—As rescuers raced to locate survivors among the wreckage, the regional governor said Sunday that the number of people killed as a result of a Russian missile strike on an apartment building in the city of Dnipro in southeast Ukraine has risen to 29.
Officials estimated that 1,700 people resided in the multi-story apartment structure before Saturday's strike; emergency personnel worked there all day and through the chilly night. According to The Associated Press-Frontline War Crimes Watch project, the number of fatalities recorded made it the worst attack in a single location since a strike in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region on September 30.
The same day, Russia launched an extensive barrage of airstrikes against Ukraine's urban centers and power infrastructure, including the capital Kyiv and the northeastern city of Kharkiv, breaking a two-week lull. Russia has been attacking Ukraine's urban centers and power infrastructure almost weekly since October.
On Sunday, Russia acknowledged the missile attacks but made no mention of the residential complex in Dnipro. Russia has insisted the conflict does not target people.
According to Gen. Valerii Zaluzhny, the head of the Ukrainian armed forces, Russia fired 33 cruise missiles on Saturday, 21 of which were shot down. According to the military's air force leadership, the missile that struck the apartment building was a Kh-22 launched from Russia's Kursk area, and Ukraine lacks a system capable of detecting that kind of weapon.
Workers in Dnipro attempted to rescue those stuck on the apartment tower's top levels by using a crane. Some locals used the lights on their mobile phones to signal for assistance.
As of Sunday afternoon, 39 people had been rescued and at least 73 had been injured, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 43 persons were reported missing, according to the Dnipro municipal authorities.
"Search and rescue efforts and the removal of hazardous structural components go on. All the time. "We keep fighting for every life," Zelenskyy declared.
Ivan Garnuk said he felt fortunate to have survived when he was in his flat when the building was struck. He expressed his surprise that the Russians would attack a residential structure devoid of any strategic significance.
Yaroslav Yanushevych, the regional governor, reported the incident in a Telegram message on Sunday. Russian soldiers had targeted a residential area in Kherson, a city in southern Ukraine. Two persons were injured, according to early reports.
As violent battle continued in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk province, where the Russian military has claimed control of the tiny salt mining town of Soledar but Ukraine claims its soldiers are still engaged in combat, Russia stepped up its airstrikes.
The Russian forces would be able to go a little bit closer to Bakhmut, a larger city, if they were to fully take Soledar. Months-long fighting for Bakhmut has resulted in significant losses for both sides.
