Yesterday, Kyiv faced a devastating day when a Russian missile directly hit the city’s main children’s hospital during a widespread aerial attack that targeted multiple Ukrainian cities. This assault resulted in the deaths of at least 41 civilians, marking it as one of the most severe attacks in recent months.
The strike occurred in broad daylight, causing severe damage to the hospital. Distraught parents, many holding their children, were seen navigating through debris and shattered glass outside the facility. The local community quickly mobilized to help clear the debris and provide support to the affected families.
Svitlana Kravchenko, a 33-year-old mother, recounted her terrifying experience: “It was horrifying. I found it hard to breathe and did everything I could to shield my baby, hoping he could breathe through a cloth I used to cover him,” she explained to journalists.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, en route to a NATO summit in Washington and after stopping in Poland, reported that the initial count of the dead included three children among the 37 fatalities. In total, over 170 people were injured. On the Telegram messaging platform, he detailed that more than 100 buildings had suffered damage, including not only the children’s hospital but also a maternity center and numerous other civilian infrastructures.
Zelenskiy forcefully condemned the strikes, calling for accountability. “Russian terrorists must be held responsible,” he stated emphatically. “Expressions of concern cannot halt terror, and condolences alone are not sufficient as a response.”
The Interior Ministry noted that Ukrainian air defenses had managed to intercept 30 out of 38 missiles during the attack. However, the volume and intensity of the strikes overwhelmed the system, spreading damage across the capital and other regions. A video verified by the Ukrainian air force showed a missile descending toward the hospital and exploding upon impact, identified as a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile.
The fallout from the strike was widespread across Kyiv, as reported by Mayor Vitali Klitschko. The health minister highlighted that five hospital units were critically damaged, prompting the evacuation of children to other facilities for their safety.
The Ukrainian government declared the following day a day of mourning and reiterated calls for stronger air defense systems from Western allies to protect against such devastating attacks.
The global response has been one of shock and condemnation, underscoring the urgency for more decisive international action to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License and was created by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
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