Russia Shells Dnipro With Missiles

Three missiles hit civilian buildings in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Friday, destroying a shoe factory and killing a security guard. Three missiles hit a residential building, a migration office and an administration building in the Novokodatsky district, setting the shoe factory ablaze. Valentin Yermolenko, in charge of public relations for the regional military administration, stated that there is no military infrastructure in the area and that one person was killed in the attack, a security guard. The district prosecutor opened an investigation into the attack, which may have violated the laws of war. Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Dnipro had suffered very few attacks, making it a focal point for humanitarian aid and the reception of displaced persons. Several people residing near the shoe factory claimed they heard the first explosion just before 06H00 (04H00 GMT) and the second at 06H10.

The third one occurred later. This Friday, several local residents were clearing the neighborhood of debris and broken glass, amid snow and sub-zero temperatures. "We heard a loud explosion and the windows shattered and part of the roof started to come off. Then there was another [explosion], we ran outside to take shelter in the subway but the entrance was also damaged," said Svetlana Kalenecheko, who lives and works in a clinic next to the shoe plant. "Today we were supposed to take in people who need a lot of support. We work with people with HIV and AIDS. Now we can't help anyone," she commented. The windows of a nearby day care center also shattered. The mayor, Boris Filativ, said in a video message that the situation was under control and that there were no Russian troops in the city.