Russia launched a significant aerial attack on several Ukrainian cities on Monday, killing more than two dozen people and hitting a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
Russia launched more than 40 missiles on Monday at Kyiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Sloviansk, and Kramatorsk, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on the eve of this week’s NATO summit in Washington, D.C.
Kyiv’s Okhmatdyt hospital, Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital, was hit in the barrage. Zelensky said the number of people killed in the strike on the medical center remains unknown as first responders and civilians dig through debris. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said two adults were killed in the strike on Okhmatdyt, one of whom was a doctor, while at least 16 others were injured.
Klitschko also said 96 people were injured in the strikes that targeted the capital.
“Okhmatdyt has been saving and restoring the health of thousands of children,” the president said on X. “Now that the hospital has been damaged by a Russian strike, there are people under the rubble, and the exact number of casualties is still unknown.”
“Russia cannot claim ignorance of where its missiles are flying and must be held fully accountable for all its crimes. Against people, against children, against humanity in general. It is very important that the world does not remain silent about this now, and that everyone sees what Russia is and what it is doing,” he added in the post.
Maria Ionova, a member of the Ukrainian parliament and the Okhmadyt hospital’s board of trustees, told the Washington Examiner that “Putin is trying to make life in Ukraine unbearable or impossible,” seeking to create “multimillion waves of refugees because of the fear for their children encourages people to run for their lives.”
She also said the Okhmadyt medical facility “has been the only medical center in Ukraine with treatment for a number of oncology diseases for children in Ukraine,” adding, “Dozens of kids were left without visible chance for survival.”
Andriy Yermak, a senior adviser to Zelensky, said the Russians used a Kh-101 missile to hit the hospital and claimed it “contains dozens of microelectronics produced in NATO countries.”
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense also reported that 10 people were killed in the strikes that targeted Kryvyi Rih.
“Russia’s missile strikes that today killed dozens of Ukrainian civilians and caused damage and casualties at Kyiv’s largest children’s hospital are a horrific reminder of Russia’s brutality. It is critical that the world continues to stand with Ukraine at this important moment and that we not ignore Russian aggression,” President Joe Biden said in a statement.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly and frequently requested allies provide them with additional air defense systems to prevent attacks like these from happening. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov reiterated that sentiment in the aftermath of Monday’s attack, per CNN.
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Zelensky, who is in Poland, said Ukraine is initiating an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the strikes. The Ukrainian leader signed a security cooperation agreement with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
The strikes occurred a day before NATO members descend on Washington for the summit, which will span three days.
