Lavrov called the cause of the explosion in a residential building in Dnepropetrovsk

Air defense systems (air defense) of Ukraine were located in residential areas, which caused the tragedy in Dnepropetrovsk, where part of the house collapsed as a result of the work of Ukrainian air defense. This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a press conference on the results of the activities of Russian diplomacy in 2022.

“It became clear to everyone that the Ukrainian air defense system, contrary to all the laws of warfare, contrary to international and humanitarian law, was located in residential areas – and this was the reason that this missile of the air defense system caused it to hit this house,” he said.

Lavrov also added that in the eight years since 2014 there have been “a great many” such situations in the Donbass.

On the evening of January 14, after the explosion, the entrance of a multi-storey building in the Dnieper (formerly Dnepropetrovsk) collapsed. As a result of the incident, 41 people died, said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the office of the President of Ukraine. Later, Aleksey Arestovich, an adviser to the office of the President of Ukraine, said that the entrance to the high-rise building collapsed due to the fall of a rocket shot down by Ukrainian troops on it. The military command of Ukraine denied this information. On January 17, Arestovich admitted his mistake and filed resign.

After this incident in the Kremlin remindedthat the Russian Armed Forces do not strike at residential buildings and social infrastructure facilities in Ukraine – only at military targets. The press secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov, referring to the statements of the Ukrainian authorities, noted that the tragedy was the result of the air defense.