Over 1,000 People Homeless After Dnipro Strike

More than 1,000 people are now homeless after Russia's weekend attack on apartment buildings in Dnipro, according to the United Nations.

A spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Ukraine said aid workers are helping Ukrainians impacted by the latest attack.

The January 14 missile strike hit a residential building in Dnipro, causing what officials have identified as the deadliest strike for civilians since the early days of Russia's war with Ukraine. Ukrainian officials said Tuesday at least 45 people died in the attack, including six children. More than 70 other individuals were injured, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

U.N. officials are stepping in to assist those who were impacted by the strike in Dnipro and other Ukrainians impacted by Russian strikes in recent days, OCHA said on Monday. That assistance includes providing people with blankets, hygiene supplies and other critical items.

The World Health Organization is also stepping in to provide people with medicine, OCHA said. Meanwhile, U.N. officials are working with the families who lost their homes to help them find temporary residences.

Ukrainian Troops Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma

The Pentagon confirms Ukrainian troops have begun training on Patriot missile systems at Fort Sill in Oklahoma.

During a press briefing Tuesday, Defense Department spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said 90 to 100 Ukrainians will be trained on the use of the air defense system. He added that the training will last "several months."

Ryder said this is the only group of soldiers coming to train at the base, but the U.S. will maintain an open dialogue, as Fort Sill has the capacity to train many different nations on the system.

Media access to the base and the training are limited as the Pentagon takes into account several operations safety issues, Ryder said.

This comes as Ukrainian officials continue to ask western allies for more air defense systems. Both Germany and the Netherlands have agreed to join the U.S. in sending Patriot systems to Ukraine.

The Pentagon also confirmed that Defense Secretary Llyod Austin will travel to Berlin to meet with his German counterpart ahead of this week's Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

Zelensky's Office Reports Over 9,000 Civilian Deaths

More than 9,000 civilians have died in Ukraine since Russia's invasion began nearly 11 months ago, a spokesperson for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's office said Tuesday.

Ukraine alleges Russia has committed about 80,000 war crimes since the war began. More than 9,000 civilians have been killed, according to Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelenksy's office. That number of civilian deaths includes 453 children, he said.

During a virtual address delivered at the start of a meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Yermak told Ukraine's international partners that the war's "tragedy scale is much greater," with officials uncovering possible evidence of torture in "nearly every" village that has been reclaimed by Ukraine after being temporarily occupied by Russian troops.

Yermak is calling for a special international tribunal to investigate civilian deaths and other alleged war crimes carried out over the course of the conflict.

"No victory is complete without restoration of justice," Yermak said Tuesday in Davos. "That means the guilty must be punished, and the damages they have caused must be compensated. The repetition of crime must be prevented."

The United Nations' (UN) Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said UN officials have confirmed at least 7,031 civilian deaths thus far, at least 433 of whom were children. More than 11,300 other civilians have been injured over the course of the war, according to an OHCHR casualty update released on Monday.

The OHCHR has warned the total number of civilian casualties is likely "considerably higher" than the numbers its office releases due to reporting delays.

Russia to Make UN Security Council 'Uncomfortable'

The United Nations Security Council is meeting now to address "threats to national peace and security."

This meeting comes after a deadly strike on an apartment building in Ukraine killed more than 40 people, including children, over the weekend.

Russia called for the UNSC meeting to discuss the shelling of the Donbas region of Ukraine back in December.

The UNSC meeting began at 3 p.m. ET Tuesday and is streaming live on the United Nations website.

During the meeting, Vasily Nebenzya, Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations, maintained that the Kremlin's "special military operation" in Ukraine is justified.

He decried anti-Russian sentiment in Ukraine, called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's rule a "dictatorship," and accused the leadership of perpetuating religious turmoil in Ukraine.

Ahead of Tuesday's meeting, Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia's envoy to the United Nations, said he would not expand on what will happen during the meeting, saying Russia will let "our opponents stay in the dark."

Polyanskiy also accused the "western sponsors of Ukraine" in body of pushing "anti-Russian" sentiment during discussion about the war in Ukraine.

He said that following a previous "anti-Russian session," Russia "will seek to initiate a meeting on a topic that's uncomfortable for them."

"There will be interesting speakers and facts," Polyanskiy said. "As you know, at such meetings, unlike the formal meetings of the Security Council, we can demonstrate video and photo materials."

Netherlands to Send Patriot Air Defense System to Ukraine

The Netherlands will send a Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine.

During a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House Tuesday, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced his country intends to join the U.S. and Germany in sending a Patriot Air Defense System to Ukraine.

"I think that it's important we join that," he said.

The prime minister said in a tweet that he already spoke to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz about "the horrific Russian aggression in Ukraine" while in Washington Tuesday morning.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Rutte in a tweet, saying the Patriot Air Defense System "greatly improves [Ukrainian] air defense, protects our cities and people from [the Russian Federation's] missile terror."

Rutte thanked Biden for his leadership and continued support to Ukraine, saying "things would have been very different" for Ukraine without U.S. aid.

He added that accountability is also "crucial."

"We can never accept that Putin and Russia get away with [the war in Ukraine]," he said, adding that he wants to take Putin to court.

Australian Open Bans Russian, Belarusian Flags

The display of Russian and Belarusian flags has been banned at the Australian Open, the tennis tournament taking place this month in Melbourne.

Tennis Australia, the country's leading tennis association, announced the ban on Tuesday. The ban was initiated following the courtside appearance of a Russian flag during a match between Russian and Ukrainian players on Monday.

Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ukraine's Ambassador to Australia, released a statement on social media Monday saying he "strongly" condemned the display.

"I call on Tennis Australia to immediately enforce its 'neutral flag' policy," Myroshnychenko said.

Tennis Australia said Tuesday it initially allowed flags to be present at the Australian Open as long as they were not used to "cause disruption." The organization then acknowledged the match during which the Russian flag was spotted at the edge of the court and said Russian and Belarusian flags would no longer be allowed.

The Russian Embassy in Australia criticized the decision, calling it "another example of unacceptable politicisation of sports."

"On top of already discriminating against Russian tennis players with its 'neutral flag' policy Tennis Australia now went further by making sure they can not be visibly supported by their fans," the Russian Embassy said in a statement posted on Facebook. The embassy said it is "regrettable" that the people organizing the tournament would "give in to overt and rather arrogant political manipulation sacrificing the spirit of fair play once inherent to the Australian Open."

UN Nuclear Watchdog Stationing Agents at Ukraine Plants

The United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency said it is stationing officials at nuclear power plants in Ukraine to oversee safety and security efforts amid Ukraine's ongoing war with Russia.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Tuesday that nuclear safety and security officials are visiting Ukraine's nuclear power plants this week and plan to have a "long-term presence at the facilities," which the IAEA said "marks a major expansion in the IAEA's efforts to help reduce the risk of a severe nuclear accident during the ongoing conflict in the country."

For months, the IAEA has sought to establish a nuclear safety zone around Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), which serves as the largest nuclear power plant in all of Europe. Military activity has affected the ZNPP several times over the course of the war, leading to serious concerns about the possibility of a nuclear accident.

There is currently a "permanent presence" of IAEA officials at the ZNPP, the agency said. Even so, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has continued to call for the establishment of a nuclear safety zone around the ZNPP, a request he reiterated on Tuesday.

Grossi introduced a support and assistance team at the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant on Monday and introduced another at a plant in western Ukraine on Tuesday. Additional teams will be deployed later this week at the Khmelnitsky NPP in northern Ukraine and at the site of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident, according to the IAEA.

The nuclear safety and security teams are being implemented at the request of the Ukrainian government, Grossi said.

Once all the teams are in place, the IAEA will have about 12 officials in Ukraine to monitor nuclear safety as the war continues, the agency said. Grossi said through these teams, the IAEA is "intensifying and deepening our technical activities to help prevent a nuclear accident during the terrible and tragic war in Ukraine."

Russian Missile Hits College in Kupiansk, Reports

Officials in Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast are reporting a new Russian attack Tuesday.

Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported Russian shelling in the city of Kupiansk at around 2:30 p.m. local time.

He said "an enemy S-300 missile" hit the Kupiansk Motor Transport Professional College.

No casualties have been reported, but Syniehubov said the premises of the educational institution are "almost completely destroyed."

More EU Officials Blocked From Entering Russia

More European officials have been banned from entering Russia, according to Russian state-owned news agency TASS. The ban is in response to the European Union's (EU) latest sanctions package, adopted in December.

Russia's Foreign Ministry announced the latest list of EU officials blocked from entering Russia on Tuesday. The list includes heads of EU law enforcement organizations that are helping train Ukrainian troops and some members of the EU Parliament, according to TASS, as well as individuals who have been known to speak out against Russia.

Russia also reportedly sanctioned EU organizations that are helping provide Ukraine with weapons.

The EU announced the adoption of its latest "hard-hitting" sanctions package in December as Russian troops continued targeting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. It was the ninth such Russian sanctions package the EU has passed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began.

The EU's latest package included a list of nearly 200 Russians whose assets were to be frozen, as well as bans on a few Russia media outlets, targeted economic sanctions and restrictions on drone access.

Russia's foreign ministry called the EU sanctions package "illegitimate" and said it is "undermining the UN Security Council's legal purviews" in a Tuesday statement obtained by TASS.

Russia has previously moved to ban EU officials in response to earlier sanctions.

Kyiv Mayor Says Energy Infrastructure to Collapse 'Any Second'

Ukraine's energy infrastructure is at risk of total collapse amid continued Russian strikes, the city's mayor said.

During an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland Monday, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the collapse "could happen any second."

"We don't talk about a collapse, but it can happen any second, because any second Russian rockets can destroy our critical infrastructure in our hometown in Kyiv and not just in Kyiv, in other cities," Klitschko told Reuters.

He added that the capitol city currently has a deficit in energy around 30 percent.

This comes as Ukraine faces a cold winter without access to electricity, water or heating as Russia continues to target civilian infrastructure across Ukraine.

"It's pretty cold in Ukraine right now so living without electricity and heating is almost impossible. The situation is critical. We are fighting to survive," he said, adding that Ukraine needs more air defense capabilities.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the Russian strikes over the weekend will have a destructive impact on the country's energy sector.

The strikes on Jan. 14 forced Ukraine to apply emergency shutdowns every day starting from Jan. 15, he said during a government session Tuesday.

Shmyhal said repairs to damaged infrastructure are underway and thanked foreign allies and partners for supplying Ukraine with power equipment.

"In the energy sector, we feel the constant support of foreign friends and our partners," he said. "In particular, we plan to purchase power equipment worth more than EUR 100 million at the expense of the Ukraine Energy Support Fund."

Sixth Child Dies Following Dnipro Attack

The death toll in the Dnipro apartment attack has risen, according to a Ukrainian official.

Valentyn Reznichenko, head of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, said on Telegram that the updated death toll is now 45 people, including six children.

The previous report had 44 deaths, including five children, after officials said the search and rescue operations were completed earlier today.

"Flowers in memory of the innocent lives taken by the Russians were brought to the smashed house together with rescuers, policemen, volunteers and the head of the Dnipro," Reznichenko wrote.

Russia Holding Thousands of Civilians Hostage

Russia is believed to be holding thousands of Ukrainian civilians hostage, according to the Ukrainian Parliament's human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets.

More than 20,000 people have contacted Lubinets' office about missing persons since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, he said Friday. Russia is believed to be holding hostage the bulk of the individuals who have been reported as missing in Russian-controlled territories, he said.

Lubinets said Ukrainian officials have reached out to Russian officials to locate the missing persons.

"Previously, the Russian side agreed to find out where they are, in what condition and why they are held," Lubinets said last week on Facebook. If the individuals are not charged, "then according to international humanitarian law, Russia must release them," he said. "And we will work out the mechanisms to bring our citizens home."

One woman told the Associated Press that her 45-year-old mother was taken into custody in April and is now being held in a Russian-controlled facility within Ukraine's Donetsk region. Though the mother's family says she has no military connections and suffers from seizures due to a brain cyst, Russian officials have alleged she is being held because she is a sniper.

Another civilian who was held in a Russian prison for 100 days described the facility to AP as having dirty drinking water, no place to shower and no heating, with some prisoners reportedly suffering beatings at the hands of the prison guards.

Putin Orders Military Expansion to 1.5 Million Troops

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an expansion of the Russian army over the next three years, according to Russian defense officials.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said Putin ordered the increase of service members to 1.5 million from 2023 to 2026.

He said this increase and other military changes are needed to ensure the "military security of the nation."

Kremlin spokesman Dmirty Peskov said this move is necessary as the U.S. and its allies wage a "proxy war" against Moscow.

"The proxy war includes elements of indirect participation in military action, elements of economic war, financial war, lawfare," he told the press Tuesday.

Peskov added that the particular tools for achieving the proposed goal are still being worked on, Russian state media reported.

"Only by strengthening the key structural components of the armed forces is it possible to guarantee the military security of the state and protect new entities and critical facilities of the Russian Federation," Shoigu said.

New Ukrainian Solider Training Begins in Germany

A new U.S.-led training mission for Ukrainian soldiers is underway in Germany.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said the goal is to get a battalion of about 500 troops back in the battlefield to fight Russia in the next five to eight weeks.

While meeting with commanders at the Grafenwoehr Training Area Monday, Milley said "this is not a run of the mill rotation."

Reporters were given access to portions of the training and were allowed to follow Milley as he met with commanders and troops, according to the Associated Press. They were not allowed to report on any specific conversations.

Ukrainian troops will learn how to better move and coordinate their units using combines artillery, armor and ground forces during this arms training.

"The urgency was clear," Milley's spokesman Army Col. Dave Butler said. "These soldiers are going off to defend their country in combat."

The hope is that the this training will get Ukrainians better prepared to launch an offensive or counter any increase in Russian attacks.

"This support is really important for Ukraine to be able to defend itself," Milley said before heading to the training. "And we're hoping to be able to pull this together here in short order."

U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer also stopped by the training on their way to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv this week.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier recently spoke with Zelensky to assure him that Germany "stands firmly" with Ukraine.

According to a readout of the German Presidential Office on Tuesday, Steinmeier said the two countries "have never been as close and as important as they are now in the face of the Russian war of aggression."

"We support Ukraine politically, humanitarianly, financially, militarily — with what we can and what is necessary, in coordination with our allies," Steinmeier said.

Dnipro Strike Kills 44, Including 5 Children

More than 40 people have died from the Russian missile strike that hit an apartment building in Dnipro over the weekend.

The final death toll from the attack reached 44, including five children, Ukrainian officials report. Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the Ukrainian president's office, said 79 people were injured.

Some 9 metric tons, about 9.9 tons, of rubble was cleared during the search and rescue operation, the Dnipro City Council said.

This attack marks the deadliest strike on a civilian target in months.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said bringing those responsible for the attack to justice is "the fundamental task for Ukraine and its Western allies," adding that the strike falls under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.

"And we will use all available opportunities — both national and international — to ensure that all Russian murderers, everyone who gives and executes orders on missile terror against our people, face legal sentences. And to ensure that they serve their punishment," he said in an address Monday.

One of Zelensky's top advisers resigned following the attack, claiming that the missile exploded and fell on the apartment after the Ukrainian air defense system shot it down.

But Ukraine's Air Force had stressed that the country's military was not capable of downing Russia's Kh-22 missiles, which it said was the type that hit the apartment building.

"Since the beginning of Russia's military aggression, more than 210 missiles of this type have been launched on the territory of Ukraine. Not one was shot down by means of anti-aircraft defense," the air force said Saturday.

Anti-Ship Missiles Likely Used in Deadly Dnipro Attack

Russia likely used a large anti-ship missile in the deadly weekend attack on apartment buildings in Dnipro, the latest British intelligence states.

"An AS-4 KITCHEN large anti-ship missile, launched from a Tu-22M3 BACKFIRE medium bomber, highly likely struck a block of flats in Dnipro city which resulted in the death of at least 40 people," the U.K. Ministry of Defence said in its Tuesday update.

Russia has used similar weapons in other attacks resulting in mass casualties over the course of the war, including the strike on a Kremenchuk shopping center in late June, the ministry added.

"While some missiles such as KITCHEN are unsuitable for precision strike, evidence from the Ukraine war suggests that dysfunction of Russia's long-range strike capability is more profound," the Tuesday report said. "It highly likely struggles to dynamically identify targets, and to access rapid and accurate battle damage assessment."

Since January 14, Russia has launched "tens" of long-range missiles against Ukrainian infrastructure, primarily targeting the Ukrainian electricity grid, the report states.

The map below shows areas throughout eastern and southern Ukraine remaining under Russian control. It also highlights contested areas, notably near Bakhmut and Zaporizhzhia.