In a harrowing escalation, Russia’s missile strike on a Ukrainian children’s hospital has sparked global outrage and unified condemnation from world leaders. Here’s the full story.
Horrors of War
In a harrowing recent display of both the horrors of war and the profound disregard with which Russia holds Ukrainian lives and the laws of war, Russia has recently struck Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital, Okhmatdyt. The attack, part of a broader missile barrage which drew instant and global condemnation, resulted in significant casualties and extensive damage to the hospital.
Targeting Severely Ill Children
Adding to the horror and meaninglessness of the attack, the hospital serves as the foremost treatment centre for children with severe illnesses, including cancer and kidney issues. The strike was one of the deadliest attacks this year, killing at least 36 people across Ukraine.
Zelenskiy: “Must Answer”
Writing on Telegram, a messaging app widely used in the region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated, “Russia cannot help but know where its missiles are flying, and must fully answer for all its crimes: against people, against children, against humanity in general.”
Global Condemnation
World leaders and international organisations immediately condemned the attack, with British Prime Minister Kier Starmer writing on X, formerly Twitter, in response to a Zelenskyy tweet, “Attacking innocent children. The most depraved of actions. We stand with Ukraine against Russian aggression – our support won’t falter.”
UN Calls for Immediate End
António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, called the strikes “particularly shocking,” with his spokesperson adding, “Directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects is prohibited by international humanitarian law, and any such attacks are unacceptable and must end immediately.”
Calls for UN Security Council Meeting
In response to the attack, several countries, including the UK and the US, have called for the UN Security Council to meet, with the UK’s Ambassador to the UN, Barbara Woodward, writing on X: “We will call out Russia’s cowardly and depraved attack on the hospital.”
Devastation at Toxicology Ward
The missile strike caused severe damage to the hospital’s toxicology ward, where many children were undergoing treatment. Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Liashko reported that hundreds of rescue workers and volunteers immediately joined efforts to clear the debris and search for survivors.
Rescue Efforts Underway
Speaking to media outside the hospital, Liashko stated, “We are extracting whoever we can. We don’t know the number of people trapped there,” as images from inside the hospital depicting scenes of devastation, with bloodied children, collapsed ceilings, and destroyed operating rooms were beamed around the world.
Broader Offensive Across Ukraine
The missile attack on Okhmatdyt was part of a larger offensive that targeted multiple cities across Ukraine. In addition to the 22 fatalities in Kyiv, including two hospital staff members, casualties were reported in other regions. Eleven people were killed in Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy’s hometown, and four in Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine.
Vulnerability of Air Defenses
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The widespread nature of the attacks underscored the vulnerability of Ukraine’s air defences and, as Zelenskyy stressed, the country’s dire need for Western weapons to counter the Russian threat.
Zelenskiy Calls for Western Support
Speaking at a Press conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Zelenskiy stated, “I would also like to hear from our partners [about] a greater resilience and a strong response to the blow that Russia has once again dealt to our people, to our land, to our children.”
Russia Denies Responsibility
Despite mounting visual evidence and wreckage linking the attack to Russian missiles, the Russian Defense Ministry denied responsibility, attributing the incident to Ukrainian anti-aircraft missiles. Ukrainian officials, however, provided evidence of Russian Kh-101 cruise missile fragments found at the site.
Deliberate Attack on Children
Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian president’s office, emphasised the deliberate nature of Russia’s attack, writing on Telegram, “They purposefully attacked the children today.”
International Outcry
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated, “We must hold those responsible for Putin’s illegal war to account.” However, the UK was not alone in its immediate condemnation of the attack, with the international community responding with calls for accountability and increased support for Ukraine.
War Crimes Accusations
The international community has responded with calls for accountability and increased support for Ukraine. Josep Borrell, the EU foreign policy chief, accused Russia of “ruthlessly targeting Ukrainian civilians,” and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani was uncompromising in his language, calling the attack “war crimes.”
Rome Statute on War Crimes
Article 8 of the Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court (ICC), defines war crimes including “intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, historic monuments, hospitals, and places where the sick and wounded are collected.”
Intensified Condemnation and Support
The recent missile attack on Kyiv’s Okhmatdyt hospital has intensified international condemnation of Russia’s actions in Ukraine. The assault has prompted renewed calls for accountability and increased support for Ukraine’s defence capabilities.
NATO Summit Uncertainty
However, as global leaders prepare to convene for the upcoming NATO summit, it remains to be seen if the West will provide more than mournful words to the beleaguered Ukrainian people, who continue to suffer as Russia’s war drags on.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Martin Suker.