Amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia, Ukraine has claimed that Russia’s missile hit the main children’s hospital in Kyiv on Monday, July 8, resulting in the death of 41 civilians in the deadliest wave of airstrikes for months.

The rare daylight attack, Reuters said, reported that parents were seen holding babies outside the hospital. Windows were shattered, panels torn off, and hundreds of Kyiv residents pitched in to clear away the debris.

“It was scary. I couldn’t breathe, I was trying to cover (my baby). I was trying to cover him with this cloth so that he could breathe,”33-year-old Svitlana Kravchenko told Reuters.

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Ukrainian President  Volodymyr Zelenskiy put the death toll at 37 while he was in Poland. Over 170 people have been injured.

However, the combined casualty count from attack sites across various regions amounted to at least 41.

100 buildings damaged

In an update on Telegram, Zelenskyy said the attack had left over 100 buildings dmaged, including  the children’s hospital and a maternity centre in Kyiv and children’s nurseries.

“The Russian terrorists must answer for this,” he wrote, adding, “Being concerned does not stop terror. Condolences are not a weapon.”

The Interior Ministry reported damage in the central cities of Kryvyi Rih and Dnipro, as well as two eastern cities.

Following one of the deadliest air attacks of the war, the government declared a day of mourning for Tuesday. This underscored Ukraine’s urgent need for enhanced air defenses from its Western allies.

According to the air force, 30 out of 38 missiles were intercepted by air defenses.

An online video verified by visible landmarks showed a missile striking a children’s hospital, resulting in a significant explosion.

The Security Service of Ukraine identified the missile as a Kh-101 cruise missile.

Kyiv’s military authorities confirmed 27 deaths in the capital, including three children. Additionally, 82 people were injured in the initial missile barrage and a subsequent strike two hours later.

(WIth Reuters inputs)