Ukraine Says Russia Bombed a Children’s Hospital

A maternity and children’s hospital in Ukraine has been destroyed by a Russian airstrike in the latest horrifying event of the 14-day war, burying children under the rubble, the Ukrainian president has said. 

The hospital in Mariupol, a city in the southeast of Ukraine, was bombed on Wednesday. The number of casualties has not yet been confirmed. 

“According to eyewitnesses, the maternity hospital no longer exists, there are many wounded and killed women,” said former Deputy Chief of Police of Ukraine Vyacheslav Abroskin.

The bombing was quickly condemned by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

In a tweet, Zelenskyy said: “Mariupol. Direct strike of Russian troops at the maternity hospital. People, children are under the wreckage. Atrocity! How much longer will the world be an accomplice ignoring terror? Close the sky right now! Stop the killings! You have power, but you seem to be losing humanity.”

Zelenskyy is appealing to foreign countries to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which would compel NATO forces to engage directly with any Russian jets in that area. World leaders have so far resisted doing this, fearing it would escalate the conflict.

If the hospital was deliberately attacked by Russia, it would violate international humanitarian law and would be considered a war crime. 

Mariupol has been under siege by the Russians, trapping, endangering and killing Ukrainians. Several ceasefires to allow civilians to evacuate the city have been broken.

Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has accused Russia of holding over 40,000 citizens in Mariupol “hostage” as Russian military blockades a city running out of food and aid. 

Despite an agreed safe route to allow Ukrainians to escape, Russia has continued shelling the city, with little progress made to evacuate.