On Tuesday, rescue workers were busy clearing debris, and Ukraine was in a state of mourning following the previous day's devastating Russian missile strikes that severely damaged a children's hospital, drawing widespread international criticism.
President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that 38 individuals, including four children, were killed across Ukraine, and 190 were injured by nearly 40 missiles that targeted various towns and cities. Authorities declared a day of mourning in the capital, with flags flown at half-mast and entertainment events postponed. At the scene of the Okhmatdyt pediatric hospital, cranes and emergency responders were actively working.
Zelensky noted that rescue operations were still underway at several attack sites, and patients from Okhmatdyt had been relocated to other medical facilities. The interior ministry confirmed that their search for survivors at the hospital had concluded, with two fatalities and 32 injuries, including eight hospitalized children.
Zelensky emphasized ongoing efforts to enhance the protection of Ukrainian cities and communities from Russian aggression, stating, "There will be decisions. The world has the necessary strength for this." He has been pressing allies to strengthen Ukrainian air defense systems and was expected to reiterate these requests as a NATO summit commenced in Washington.
The Ukrainian President also requested a United Nations Security Council meeting to address the strikes that claimed about 10 lives in his hometown of Kryvyi Rig. Approximately 400 rescuers responded to the strikes, and hundreds of volunteers gathered at the Okhmatdyt complex to assist in clearing rubble and searching for survivors.
City officials informed AFP that the two individuals killed at the hospital were both adults, a doctor and a visitor. Kyiv's mayor reported that three additional people were found dead in the rubble of a housing block in a central district hit by the attack. The total casualties in the capital were 31 killed and 117 wounded, according to the city's military administration.
Ukraine accused a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile of striking the renowned children's hospital, but Moscow attributed the incident to Ukrainian air defense systems. The Kremlin reiterated its stance that Russian forces only target military infrastructure, deferring further inquiries to the defense ministry.
Despite this, the United Nations indicated a "high likelihood" that the children's hospital in Kyiv was directly hit by a missile launched by the Russian Federation. Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, called for a deeper investigation, noting that video footage "shows the weapon directly impacting the hospital."
Russian attacks continued overnight, with two people wounded in the southern Kherson region and another three injured in the Zaporizhzhia region, areas that the Kremlin claims are part of Russia.
