What we know about the massive Russian strikes that killed dozens and hit a children’s hospital on Monday

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported at least 38 dead, including four children, and 190 injured. Medical workers were among those killed.

A massive attack in broad daylight. Russia carried out major strikes on several cities in Ukraine on Monday, July 8. Several dozen people were killed, including some in hospitals. These bombings, which continued into the night in the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, sparked indignation in kyiv and its supporters, a few hours before a NATO summit in Washington. Here is what we know.

At least 38 dead and 190 injured

The strikes killed 38 people, including four children, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on X on Tuesday. In addition, 190 people were injured, he added, mentioning “64 hospitalizations in kyiv, 28 in Kryvyi Rih and six in Dnipro”This toll, which is likely to increase as the search continues, is one of the highest in months.

Major children’s hospital hit

Russia launched about 40 missiles at Ukraine on Monday. They hit several cities deep inside Ukrainian territory, including kyiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, the Ukrainian president listed. “In total, nearly 100 buildings were damaged”he detailed Monday on Telegram, citing “houses, kindergartens, a maternity hospital, a college, a business center”.

In kyiv, the military administration reported 27 dead and 117 wounded. Two medical centers were hit, including a major children’s hospital. This is theOkhmatdyt, “the largest diagnostic and treatment center for children in the country”describes Doctors Without Borders, which went to the scene and reports that “The children’s dialysis unit was particularly damaged”Two adults – a doctor and a visitor – were killed there, and 32 were injured, according to authorities. “Eight children were hospitalized with injuries”Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on social media.

On the scene, hundreds of people, rescuers, relatives, police officers, rushed to help the victims, clear up, find their loved ones. The operations ended Tuesday morning. Of the approximately 630 patients who were being treated there, 94 were transferred to other hospitals in the capital, more than 465 had to return home and 68 remained in buildings that were not affected by the attack, the Ministry of Health said.

Seven people – five medical staff and two patients – died in a bombing of the private clinic Adonis in eastern kyiv. And twelve people were killed in a residential building in the Syrets district in the west of the capital, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Local authorities declared a day of mourning on Tuesday, and flags were flown at half-mast.

“A direct hit” from a Russian missile, according to the UN

“Russia cannot claim that it does not know where its missiles are falling and must be held fully responsible”denounced Volodymyr Zelensky. According to his services, the pediatric hospital hit in kyiv was hit by a Russian KH-101 cruise missile. Russia, for its part, denied this, assuring that it had only targeted and hit “military installations”. Moscow claims that a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile fell on the children’s hospital in kyiv, and that “numerous photographs and video sequences” prove it “unequivocal”.

A theory that does not convince the UN. “It is highly likely that the children’s hospital suffered a direct hit rather than damage from an intercepted weapons system.”said Danielle Bell, representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Ukraine, on Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland. Stressing the need for further investigation, she explained that existing footage shows “the weapon directly impacting the hospital rather than being intercepted in the air”and UN military experts, who visited the site on Monday, “observed damage on the site consistent with a direct impact”. She added that the “technical specifications” The projectile visible in the images corresponds to a KH-101 missile “launched by the Russian Federation”.

A senior UN official spoke of war crimes on Tuesday at an emergency Security Council meeting a day after deadly strikes blamed on Russia. “Intentionally launching attacks against a protected hospital [par le droit international] is a war crime for which the perpetrators must be held accountable,” considered the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce Msuya, noting “a worrying trend of systematic attacks on health care facilities and other civilian infrastructure across Ukraine.”

Numerous international reactions

On Monday, US President Joe Biden denounced the strikes, “a terrible reminder” of the “brutality” demonstrated by Russia. “Together with our allies, we will announce new measures to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses to help protect its cities and civilians from Russian strikes.”said the man who is hosting a NATO summit in Washington from Tuesday.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has deplored the fact that Russia “mercilessly targets Ukrainian civilians”judging that “Ukraine needs air defense now”France, through its Minister of Foreign Affairs Stéphane Séjourné, spoke of“barbaric acts” has “add to the list of war crimes for which Russia will have to account”while London denounced a “horrible attack”. In turn, the Pope expressed his “deep pain”.

“When innocent children are murdered, you see them die, your heart hurts and the pain is unbearable.”said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, without directly referring to the strike on kyiv. “Peace is of the utmost importance”he added.