KYIV, Ukraine. The city of Kyiv is in mourning as rescuers continue to search through the rubble of a children’s hospital hit by a Russian missile. The attack, part of a massive daytime barrage on Monday, has claimed 42 lives so far, with more casualties expected.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on the social platform X that 64 people were hospitalized in the capital, with additional victims in Kryvyi Rih and Dnipro. This assault marks the heaviest bombardment Kyiv has endured in nearly four months, striking seven out of the city’s ten districts.
The Okhmatdyt children’s hospital, the largest medical facility for children in Ukraine, suffered severe damage. “The missile hit a two-story wing of the hospital,” stated Volodymyr Zhovnir, the hospital’s Director General. At the time of the attack, 670 patients were receiving care, including young cancer patients who had to continue their treatments outdoors.
Danielle Bell, head of a U.N. team monitoring human rights violations in Ukraine, confirmed that at least two people were killed at the hospital and about 50 were injured, including seven children. She noted that the casualties would have been much higher if patients hadn’t been moved to a bunker when air raid sirens sounded.
Efforts are underway to restore the hospital’s power and water supply. Kyiv city officials have declared an official day of mourning, with flags lowered and entertainment events prohibited.
Despite overwhelming evidence of civilian targeting, Russia denied responsibility for the hospital strike. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated this stance, blaming a Ukrainian air defense missile for the damage. However, Bell refuted this claim, stating that video footage and on-site assessments indicated a direct hit from a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile, a conclusion shared by Ukrainian officials.
In addition to the hospital strike, the bodies of three more people were discovered under the rubble of a residential building in Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district, raising the building’s death toll to ten.
The attack occurred on the eve of a NATO summit in Washington, where member countries are expected to pledge further military and economic support for Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Moscow. Zelenskyy criticized Modi’s visit, saying on X, “It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy hug the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day.”
In retaliation, Ukrainian drones targeted six Russian regions overnight, marking a significant aerial assault by Kyiv’s forces. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that air defense systems in five regions intercepted and destroyed a total of 38 Ukrainian drones.
As Kyiv grieves, the international community watches closely, hoping for an end to the relentless violence and a path to peace.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
