Ukraine is observing a day of mourning after its worst wave of missile attacks in months killed at least 41 people and injured 166 others.
The main children’s hospital in the capital Kiev was among the buildings attacked in cities across the country on Monday.
Missile attack kills two Part of Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital was razed to the ground The search for survivors under the rubble of Ukraine’s largest pediatric facility continued into the early hours of Tuesday.
Russia denies targeting the hospital, saying it was hit by Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile fragments, while Ukraine says it has found remnants of a Russian cruise missile.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack “brutal” and described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “bloody criminal.”
Nato is preparing for a summit in Washington later on Tuesday, with the military bloc’s response to the Ukrainian invasion set to be high on the agenda.
World leaders allied to Ukraine condemned the attack, including new British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
He said the “attack on innocent children” was the “most depraved act” and pledged to continue supporting Kyiv after the change of British government.
U.S. President Joe Biden called the attack “a horrific reminder of Russia’s atrocities” and said more support for Ukraine’s air defenses would be announced soon.
Zelensky said Russia launched more than 40 missiles on Monday, damaging nearly 100 buildings in Kiev, Dnipro, Krivoy Rog, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
Photos from the scene of the blast at a Kiev hospital that specializes in cancer treatment and organ transplants showed children receiving intravenous injections sitting outside the damaged facility waiting to be evacuated.
Rescue workers and medics dug through the rubble looking for survivors, but it was unclear how many others were trapped.
On Monday afternoon, Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the hospital strike injured 16 people, including seven children.
He said the citywide attack was one of the worst Kiev has faced since the war began and ordered flags to be flown at half-mast on Tuesday and entertainment events to be canceled.
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.
“It was not easy to focus on the game today,” she said while holding back tears in her post-match interview.
“It’s been hard to watch the news since the morning. It’s been extremely hard to get on the field.”
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.
On Tuesday morning, the governor of Russia’s southern Rostov region said a fire broke out at a power plant after Ukraine launched “dozens” of drones.
