Russia kills Ukrainian children with missiles again: attack on Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital

On July 8, in the morning, Russian troops launched missile attacks on Kyiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih and a number of other Ukrainian cities. There are killed and wounded, as well as damage to civilian infrastructure. Among other things, the capital’s Okhmatdyt children’s hospital was damaged.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that there were people under the rubble of the hospital.

Sick children were forced to hide in the basements. During the second attack, the Russians again attacked the maternity hospital. There are currently 7 dead and 3 injured.

Another Russian attack on Kyiv. And again – a medical institution. An institution where life is born – a maternity hospital, – he wrote.

This hospital annually performs about 7,000 complex surgeries, diagnoses and treats oncohematological diseases, and performs bone marrow transplants for sick children.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv is one of the most important children’s hospitals not only in Ukraine but also in Europe.

Okhmatdyt saves and restores health to thousands of children. Now that the hospital has been hit by a Russian strike, there are people under the rubble, and the exact number of victims is still unknown. Now everyone is helping to clear the rubble – both doctors and ordinary people. Russia cannot claim that it does not know where its missiles are flying, and it must bear full responsibility for all its crimes. Against people, against children, against humanity in general. It is very important that the world does not remain silent about this now, and that everyone sees what Russia is and what it is doing, – Volodymyr Zelenskyy added.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, 20 people were killed and 61 others were injured in an enemy attack in Kyiv.

In Ukraine, 36 people were killed, and 146 others were injured.

In Kryvyi Rih, at least 10 people were killed in a Russian attack, said Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the city’s Defense Council. Another 41 people injured, nine of them in serious condition.

Also in Kyiv, as a result of a missile attack:

• an office building was damaged in Solomyansky district; 
• in Holosiivskyi district, missile fragments fell near a residential building; 
• in Dniprovskyi district, debris is burning in a residential building.
• a private house was damaged in Darnytskyi district;
• a house caught fire in Desnianskyi district. 

Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets sent letters to a number of international organizations calling for a response to the shelling of the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital in Kyiv.

The level of cynicism of the aggressor country is impossible to comprehend. This is a targeted and deliberate attack on the civilian population of Ukraine. On sick children who depend on medical support.

I have sent letters to a number of international organizations calling for a response to Russian terror! I am in constant contact with the leaders of national human rights institutions regarding this situation, – Dmytro Lubinets wrote.

He also noted that one department was completely destroyed, and children were under the rubble. Surgeries had to be performed in dilapidated operating rooms, and sick children had to be brought down to the shelter.

News media and their reaction to the Russian attack

Most Republicans ignored the Russian missile attack on Ukraine as of 20:00 Kyiv time. The European, American, Australian and South American press responded promptly to the morning news. Japanese and Korean publications also wrote short articles about today’s tragedy, while Chinese publications, on the contrary, very sparingly described the attack on Okmatdyt, focusing on minor domestic news.

Reaction of Western and Ukrainian politicians to Russia’s missile attack on Ukraine

The Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, also commented on the Russian missile hitting the hospital:

Oleksiy Honcharenko, President of the PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons, MP of Ukraine, spoke about the tragedy in Kyiv and addressed Orbán: 

Today’s missile attack on a hospital where only children are treated is a message to Orbán and his peace plans and also to Xi. Do you plan to negotiate with Putin next? How does everything work? – Oleksiy Goncharenko said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also reacted to the missile attack:

President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel also commented on this morning’s attack on Ukraine:

The repression of the children’s hospital in Kyiv and many other cities in Ukraine is proof that Putin’s Russia will stop at nothing. The attack on the most vulnerable cannot be forgiven. I am going to the NATO Summit where I hope to find a consensus that we all see Russia as the biggest threat that we must be thoroughly prepared for.

What happened today in Okhmatdyt is one of the most massive war crimes against children that happened during all these 11 years of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine. 

This strengthens our desire and need to create a special tribunal for the crime of aggression for Putin and the top political military leadership. It also means, and we have evidence that this was a direct attack that is genocidal in nature.

International organizations and global partners had direct contact with American partners who are ready to restore equipment and help one of the largest children’s clinics in the World, – Maria Mezentseva, People’s Deputy of Ukraine, Head of the Subcommittee on Approximation of Ukrainian Legislation to EU Legislation, Head of the Permanent Delegation to PACE

Another Russian terrorist attack on Ukraine, terrible consequences. Missiles hit the children’s hospital, Okhmatdyt, where children are treated. This is a disaster. 

I expect that world leaders will draw the right conclusions at the NATO summit. They will condemn this terrorist act not just in words, but also in actions. We can expect the adoption of very important decisions: Strengthening of Ukrainian air defence, transfer of additional Patriot systems and missiles for them.

This terrorist act should unite the World, and the World should say a clear “YES” for Ukraine’s right to strike the entire territory of the Russian Federation with missiles that provide a united West. 

So far, we are unlikely to receive an invitation to NATO, but as we know, a road map for Ukraine’s accession to NATO is being developed. There will be more condemnation at the UN Security Council emergency meeting, which Ukraine has already called, but we expect action at the NATO summit,  — Artem Kasparian, co-partner of “The Ukrainian Review”, lawyer and civil activist.

UNICEF Ukraine and UNICEF headquarters did not respond to the missile attack on the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital of the Russian Armed Force.

The UN reacts to Russia’s missile attack on Ukrainian cities and Okhmatdyt. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine Denise Brown condemned the strikes of the Russian armed forces on Ukrainian cities.

The week in Ukraine began with another wave of devastating strikes by the Russian Armed Forces.  A children’s hospital in the center of Kyiv was heavily damaged, although the extent of the damage is still unknown. It is unacceptable that children are being killed and injured in this war. According to international humanitarian law, hospitals have special protection. Civilians must be protected, – Denise Brown said.

The humanitarian organization Red Cross has not yet responded to the missile attack on Ukrainian cities.

Conclusion

Many foreign politicians strongly condemned the attack, including calling for more military support for Ukraine and a NATO summit discussion on the threat posed by Russia.

Despite the strong support of foreign politicians, many did not speak out about the massive Russian missile strike on Ukraine. Trumpists do not comment on the strike on the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital or condemn Russia’s actions. Also, major Chinese news media, such as Sina News and CCTV, did not report that Russian troops had launched missile strikes against Ukraine. At the same time, at the joint meeting, Orbán and Chinese leader Xi Jinping did not mention today’s massive Russian attack on Ukraine. 

Kateryna Yashchuk