(PatriotsUnited.org) – A shocking suspected missile strike has caused major damage at a Ukrainian children’s hospital.
The attack on Kyiv’s Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital left two dead and multiple areas of the complex in rubble, killing two and causing widespread destruction. The hospital, Ukraine’s largest pediatric facility, was among several targets hit in a wave of attacks that left 36 dead and 140 injured nationwide. Ohmatdyt provides cancer treatment and organ transplants for minors and is one of Ukraine’s most important children’s medical providers.
The incident has prompted a flurry of international criticism. One doctor at the hospital said the strike felt like a moment in a movie as she saw Ohmatdyt, described the moment as “like in a film” with a “big light” before she heard something “awful.” The same physician alleged that some 60 to 70 percent of the facilities were damaged. One area was totally destroyed while another was set ablaze. Russia continues to claim that it did not hit the hospital. Photographs of the aftermath showed a dramatic evacuation of ill children, with the city mayor Vitaliy Klitschko stating that the two deaths were of adults. He also said he was concerned people could be trapped under rubble. Mayor Klitschko even condemned the attacks as attempted “genocide” of Ukrainians.
This strike appears to be just one part of a wider Russian offensive after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it launched 40 assorted missiles at both civilian and military areas of Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Sloviansk, and Kramatorsk. The assault caused one death and six injuries in Dnipro. Three people also died in eastern Donetsk.
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell Fontelles slammed Russia for “ruthlessly targeting” civilians while UN Secretary-General António Guterres also issued a condemnation.
Ukraine’s government continues to urge its Western allies to provide military and financial assistance, including further air defense capabilities. The brutal attacks came as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Moscow for official talks.
Copyright 2024, PatriotsUnited.org
