Makeshift memorials across Russia

Locals bring flowers, stuffed animals, and candles to landmarks symbolizing Ukraine to commemorate the Dnipro missile strike victims

Makeshift memorials are springing up in Russian cities as locals commemorate the victims of a January 14 missile strike on a nine-story apartment building in Dnipro, which killed at least 45 civilians, including six children.

Krasnodar residents brought flowers, candles, and stuffed animals to the Taras Shevchenko monument in their city. A photo of the apartment building wrecked by the Russian missile was placed at the foot of the monument.

In St. Petersburg, residents brought candles to another Taras Shevchenko monument, spelling “Dnipro” in candle flames.

In Yekaterinburg, the adults and children killed in Dnipro are commemorated at a local monument to the victims of Soviet political repressions.

Muscovites brought flowers, stuffed toys, and candles to the Lesya Ukrainka monument on Moscow’s Ukraine Boulevard. Municipal crews removed these offerings, which were later discovered at the foot of the Commonwealth monument (which symbolizes the unity of Slavic peoples), according to one report shared on Telegram.

A police detention bus has been in place near the Ukrainka monument since January 18. Four people were arrested there the day before. One suspect was charged with disorderly conduct and held overnight at the police station, but it’s not clear what happened to the other three detainees.

The pacifist movement Vesna reports that, after yesterday’s arrests near the Ukrainka monument, Muscovites have been taking flowers to the Taras Shevchenko monument instead.

Ukrainian officials say the building was hit by a Russian Kh-22 missile — a long-range anti-ship missile capable of penetrating the country’s air defenses. This information was confirmed by the British Defense Intelligence, which underscored that this type of missile is exceptionally imprecise when used against land targets.

Russia continues to insist that the missile only hit the apartment building because of interference by Ukraine’s own air defenses. Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, repeated this claim at a recent UN Security Council meeting, citing remarks by Oleksiy Arestovich (an adviser to the Zelensky administration who later apologized for his mistake and resigned).