In a dramatic escalation, Russia launched an intense missile attack on Kyiv, resulting in significant damage to a children’s hospital. Ukrainian officials reported that at least 20 people were killed and numerous others injured as missiles rained down on the capital and other cities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russian forces fired over 40 missiles, targeting infrastructure, commercial buildings, and residential areas. In a social media post, Zelensky detailed the widespread damage in cities including Kyiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Sloviansk, and Kramatorsk. The destruction to homes, critical infrastructure, and the children’s hospital in the capital has been particularly devastating, with emergency services working tirelessly to respond to the aftermath.
Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s Military Administration, highlighted on social media that air defense systems were activated, yet missile fragments still struck various districts of the city. He identified Solomen, Holosiiv, Darnytsia, and Sviatoshyn as the districts most affected, with buildings and vehicles sustaining damage. The Shevchenko district, where the children’s hospital is located, also suffered considerable harm.
City officials in Kyiv confirmed that seven people died and at least 25 were injured in the latest attacks. Oleksandr Vilkul, Mayor of Kryvyi Rih, President Zelensky’s hometown, reported that 10 people were killed and 31 injured there. Additionally, the governor of Donetsk announced that three people were killed in Pokrovsk when missiles struck an industrial facility.
President Zelensky made an urgent plea on Telegram, urging the global community to show resolute action against Russian aggression. He stressed the importance of rescuing as many people as possible, with all units engaged in emergency response efforts.
Kyiv’s Mayor, former boxer Vitali Klitschko, described the latest assault as one of the heaviest since the beginning of the Russian invasion. The main children’s hospital in Kyiv was heavily damaged, forcing frantic evacuations as families fled with their children in their arms. Despite the overwhelming evidence of civilian casualties, Russia continues to deny targeting non-military sites.
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine poses a significant threat to the stability and unity of Europe. The possibility of further escalation raises critical questions about the future. Will President Putin fall into the trap of the United States and accelerate the fragmentation of Europe, or will he abandon the invasion and lead the way for European unity against major powers like the United States and China?
