Day of mourning in kyiv, where the death toll rises

Photo: Roman Pilipey Agence France-Presse The attack on the Okhmatdyt hospital center has created shock in the country.

Anatoli Stepanov – Agence France-Presse in kyiv

Published at 10:48 Updated at 13:43

• Europe

kyiv observed a day of mourning on Tuesday following Russian strikes that left more than 30 dead and devastated Ukraine's largest pediatric hospital, with the toll likely to rise further as research continues in the rubble.

The attack on the Okhmatdyt hospital center created a shock in this country, which has suffered Russian bombing for more than two years, and among its allies.

« Intentionally launching attacks against a hospital protected [by international law] is a war crime,” denounced Tuesday the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce Msuya.

She noted “a worrying trend of systematic attacks on health centers and other civilian infrastructure across Ukraine”, during an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council convened at the request of Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky reported in the morning around forty deaths throughout Ukrainian territory, which suffered a massive attack the day before having involved around forty Russian missiles.

He later announced that he had come to Washington to participate in an important NATO summit, during which he will demand more weapons for his country.

“We are fighting for more air defense” and “more F-16 planes,” whose delivery to Ukraine is expected soon, he added.

Also read

• Massive Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities kill at least 37
• Putin repeats his demands on Ukraine by receiving Orban, disowned by the EU
• Russia incriminated at the UN for strikes in Ukraine

“Rebuild”

Ukraine, whose energy infrastructure is already devastated, continues to ask its Western allies for more anti-aircraft defense means.

At least 33 people, including four children , were killed in its capital, where Russian missiles and their debris struck, in addition to the hospital, a private clinic and residential buildings in several neighborhoods, according to the latest official report.

In a residential building in the Syrets district (west), at least 12 people, including four children, were killed, according to Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

Seven people — five caregivers and two patients — died in a bombing of the Adonis private clinic, in the east of the city.

At Okhmatdyt hospital, two adults — a female doctor and a visitor — were killed, and 32 were injured, authorities said.

« We will rebuild Okhmatdyt, I am in contact with the government” on this, Volodymyr Zelensky promised. Several dozen Ukrainian companies have also announced donations for the work.

Of around 630 patients who were treated in this children's hospital, 94 were transferred to other In other establishments in the capital, more than 465 had to return home and 68 remained in buildings that were not affected by the attack, the Health Ministry said.

“Direct fire”

The town hall declared a day of mourning in kyiv, where the flags were raised at half mast.

“On this day of mourning for the innocent victims of our capital and other cities of Ukraine, I bow with all the people of Ukraine,” said Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky.

Ukraine claimed that the strike on the pediatric hospital was carried out with a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile fired from a bomber.

Russia, which has systematically denied any crime or blunder since the start of its invasion, has for its part blamed Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense, ensuring, as always, never to “hit targets civilians.”

The representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Ukraine, Danielle Bell, for her part considered it “very likely” that this establishment was hit by “a direct hit” from a Russian missile, also evoking a Kh-101 type projectile.

“Analysis of the video footage and assessment at the incident scene indicates that it is highly likely that the Children's Hospital suffered a direct strike rather than damage from an intercepted weapon system.” , declared Ms. Bell during a press briefing in Geneva.

Russian attacks against Ukraine continued overnight from Monday to Tuesday: two people were injured in the Kherson region and three others in the Zaporizhia region, both located in the south.