Ukraine is observing a day of mourning following one of the deadliest waves of Russian missile strikes in months, which have left at least 41 people dead and 166 injured. Among the buildings hit on Monday was Kyiv’s main children’s hospital, Ohmatdyt, where two people were killed, and rescue efforts continued into the early hours of Tuesday.
Elsewhere, four people were reported dead in Russia’s Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine, due to Ukrainian strikes over the past 24 hours. Russia has denied targeting the hospital in Kyiv, claiming it was hit by fragments of a Ukrainian air defence missile. However, Ukraine asserts that remnants of a Russian cruise missile were found at the scene.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as “brutal” and labelled Russian President Vladimir Putin a “bloody criminal.” The attack has prompted international condemnation, with NATO preparing to address the invasion of Ukraine at a summit in Washington.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer denounced the strikes as “the most depraved of actions” and pledged continued support for Ukraine. US President Joe Biden described the strikes as a “horrific reminder of Russia’s brutality” and announced additional support for Ukraine’s air defence systems.
The missile strikes on Monday targeted several cities including Kyiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Sloviansk, and Kramatorsk, causing widespread damage. In Kyiv, nearly 100 buildings were damaged, and 16 people, including seven children, were injured in the hospital strike.
Images from the hospital showed children hooked up to IV drips sitting outside the damaged facility awaiting evacuation. Rescue workers and medics searched through the rubble for survivors.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the attacks as some of the worst the city has faced since the war began. He ordered flags to be flown at half-mast and cancelled entertainment events on Tuesday.
The UN’s human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine reported a significant increase in civilian casualties in recent months, noting that May was the deadliest month for civilian deaths in nearly a year.
On Tuesday morning, the governor of Russia’s Rostov region reported a fire at a power plant following a Ukrainian drone attack involving “tens” of drones.
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