Russian airstrike on Ukrainian children’s hospital kills dozens

A children’s hospital in Kiev was attacked after Russia launched a wave of missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital, Ukraine’s largest pediatric institution, was severely damaged in the explosion, killing two people. Officials said 31 people were killed in early morning bombings across the country.

Lesia Lysytsia, a doctor at the hospital, told the BBC that the moment the missile hit was “just like in a movie” with “a huge light and then a terrible sound”.

“Part of the hospital was destroyed and there was a fire in another part. The damage was really severe, probably 60-70 percent of the hospital was damaged,” she said.

Photos from the scene showed young children, some receiving intravenous fluids, sitting outside the hospital as it was evacuated.

Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the two people who died in hospital were adults, one of whom was a doctor. He added that rescuers feared more people were trapped under the rubble.

Russia denied targeting the hospital, saying it was hit by fragments from a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile. But Ukraine said it had found remnants of a Russian cruise missile.

Ohmatdyt is a large hospital that performs cancer treatment and organ transplants.

“Now we are evacuating patients to the nearest hospital. [but] Many patients are intubated and on ventilators and cannot interact with other patients or go outside,” Dr. Lysytsia said.

Hospital officials told Ukrainian television that about 20 children were being treated in the ward where the attack occurred.

Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina wore a black ribbon as a sign of respect during her round of 16 match at Wimbledon on Monday afternoon following the strike.

Mayor Klitschko accuses Russia of attempting ‘genocide’ [the] Ukrainian population”.

“Now the whole world can see how Russian missiles and kamikaze drones are killing Ukrainian citizens in our peaceful cities.

An independent obstetrics and gynecology hospital in Kiev’s Dniprovsky district was also partially destroyed by falling debris, killing seven people, the mayor added.

Zelensky wrote on social media that “more than 40 missiles of different types” hit buildings in Kiev, Dnipro, Krivoy Rog, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. objects and infrastructure.

He called on the West to respond “stronger to Russia’s renewed blow to our people, our land and our children.”

Sergei Lysak, head of the Dnipro region, said that one person died and six others were injured in Dnipro city. He added that a high-rise building and a business were hit.

Three people were killed in Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region, where Russian troops have taken control of a number of villages in recent weeks.

The Russian bombing comes as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day state visit to Moscow, where he will hold talks with President Vladimir Putin.

Russia denies targeting civilian infrastructure and says damage to a children’s hospital was caused by a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile.

However, Ukrainian security services released photos of Russian Kh-101 cruise missile fragments recovered from the site.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov responded to the attack by urging the country’s allies to help quickly strengthen their air defense systems.

“Our defense capabilities are still insufficient… We need more air defense systems,” he said.

Ukraine’s allies condemned the attack on Omatdit hospital, with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell accusing Russia of “mercilessly targeting Ukrainian civilians”.

David Lamy, the new British Foreign Secretary, said, “We must hold to account those responsible for Putin’s illegal war.”

The United Nations human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine said civilian casualties have increased in recent months as Russia resumed air strikes. A recent report said May was the deadliest month for civilians in nearly a year.