40 dead in Russian attack on homes

Ukrainian authorities on Monday launched “criminal proceedings” against Russian soldiers blamed for the rocket attack that devastated a nine-story apartment building in Ukraine, killing at least 40 people.

At least 30 people remained missing from Saturday’s attack in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, and rescue teams continued to search the rubble in hopes of finding survivors, the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) said. At least 75 people were injured, including 14 children.

In the skyscraper, 72 apartments were completely destroyed and 236 damaged, leaving hundreds of Ukrainians homeless in the dead of winter. The SBU said several dozen Russian soldiers were involved, led by Colonel Timoshin Oleg Evgenievich, commander of Russia’s 52nd Heavy Bomber Regiment.

“The Security Service of Ukraine is making every effort to ensure that everyone involved in the terrorist attack on civilians of Ukraine receives well-deserved punishment,” the SBU said in a statement.

Further developments:

►Two suspected Russian agents have been arrested by Ukrainian counterintelligence in Kherson and Odessa. According to investigators, during the occupation of the city, those arrested revealed to the Russians the secret bases of the Ukrainian armed forces in Kherson.

►Russian and Belarusian air forces on Monday began a two-week joint exercise in Belarus, which borders Ukraine and served as a base for Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.

►Ukrainian Yulianna Tunitskaya won the gold medal at the 2023 Youth Luge World Championships in Austria.

NUMBER OF DEATHS RISING:Russian missile attack destroys homes in Ukraine; Zelenskyj swears revenge

The German defense minister resigns

Germany’s embattled Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht resigned Monday after spending most of her year in office amid controversy, beginning with questions about her qualifications for the post. She criticized the German government’s reluctance to send arms to Ukraine even before the war began. While the US and other nations provided weapons in preparation for Russia’s invasion last February, Germany offered to supply 5,000 military helmets. Most recently, she was convicted for a New Year’s Eve message she posted on social media, in which she spoke about the war in Ukraine to the sound of fireworks.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz should name her successor on Tuesday.

Contribution: The Associated Press