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A children’s hospital in Kyiv was struck during a series of missile attacks by Russia on cities across Ukraine, resulting in two deaths at the Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital, Ukraine’s largest pediatric facility.

President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, reported 36 fatalities and 140 injuries from the strikes. Russia denied targeting the hospital, attributing the damage to fragments from a Ukrainian air defense missile, while Ukraine claimed remnants of a Russian cruise missile were found.

Dr. Lesia Lysytsia described the devastating moment of impact as resembling a movie scene, with significant destruction and fires affecting 60-70% of the hospital. Images showed young patients with IV drips being evacuated from the scene.

Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko confirmed that the casualties included an adult doctor and another adult, with fears that more individuals could be trapped under the rubble. Ohmatdyt Hospital, known for cancer treatment and organ transplants, was evacuating patients, including those on ventilators who require intensive care.

Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina paid tribute by wearing a black ribbon during her Wimbledon match. Mayor Klitschko condemned Russia’s actions as an attempt at “genocide” and reported additional casualties at a maternity hospital in Kyiv’s Dniprovsky district.

President Zelensky condemned the strikes across multiple Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Sloviansk, and Kramatorsk, calling for a stronger international response against Russia. The bombardment also caused casualties in Dnipro and Pokrovsk, underscoring the humanitarian crisis.

Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umerov appealed for enhanced air defense systems from allies, citing ongoing military deficiencies. International condemnation followed, with the EU, UK, and UN denouncing the attacks on civilian targets as violations of international humanitarian law.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed shock over the hospital attacks, emphasizing the prohibition of such actions under humanitarian law. The UN’s human rights mission in Ukraine documented a surge in civilian casualties amid Russia’s intensified military campaign.

The assaults mark a grim escalation in the ongoing conflict, prompting urgent calls for diplomatic intervention and humanitarian aid to alleviate the crisis in Ukraine.