A Russian missile attack severely damaged the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv on Monday, causing terrified patients and their families to flee in panic. Ukrainian officials fear more casualties could be trapped beneath the rubble. The attack was part of a massive Russian missile barrage across Ukraine, resulting in at least 31 deaths and over 150 injuries.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed to “hold Russia accountable for its acts of terror” and blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the strikes. In a series of messages, Zelenskyy detailed the extent of the attack, noting that more than 40 types of missiles struck cities including Kyiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Slovyansk, and Kramatorsk. This large-scale daytime assault occurred during morning rush hour, heavily impacting residential and infrastructure areas far from the front lines.
The Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital, described by Zelenskyy as one of Europe’s most important children’s medical centers, was severely damaged. Intensive care units, oncology departments, and surgery units were hit, causing extensive destruction. Two people were killed and at least 16 were injured in the strike on the hospital, with hundreds of patients evacuated and more than 100 transferred to other facilities.Â
President Zelenskyy highlighted the attack’s timing, coming just before a crucial NATO Summit in Washington hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden. Biden condemned the strikes as a “horrific reminder of Russia’s brutality” and reiterated the U.S.’s unwavering support for Ukraine.Â
Additionally, a separate Russian attack on a private medical facility in Kyiv killed seven people, including five staff members and two patients. Russia’s defense ministry claimed the strikes targeted Ukrainian military facilities, a statement rejected by Ukrainian authorities who accused Moscow of deliberately attacking civilian infrastructure.
The United Nations and several European nations condemned the shelling, with calls for accountability and further support for Ukraine.Â
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