Horrifying pictures have captured the aftermath of a devastating Russian missile strike on a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
Vladimir Putin‘s army launched a massive missile strike on Western areas of Ukraine, targeting a newly reconstructed ward at Okhmatdyt Hospital, one of the oldest children’s hospitals in the Ukrainian capital.
One of the images showed an injured mother covered in dust and debris making her way through a corridor carrying her stunned toddler.
The tot, who appears to be wearing a cannula into his nose, is seen also covered in dust, his skin smeared with blood as his mother covers him with a striped sheet.
Another image shows a mother sitting outside the bombed hospital cradling her young daughter. The little girl is seen hiding her face in the woman’s chest, her tiny hand seemingly trying to shield her eyes.
Young cancer patients evacuated from the destroyed ward were pictured lined up against an external wall of the building as they continued to receive treatment away from the strike area.
Doctors and members of the public joined in rescue operations, forming a chain to quickly remove debris in an attempt to free hospital staff and patients caught up in the missile strike.
At least 31 people have been killed and 154 injured as Russia targeted five Ukrainian cities with more than 40 missiles of different types, hitting apartment buildings and public infrastructure.
On the hospital’s main 10-story building, windows and doors were blown out and walls were blackened. Blood spattered the floor in one room.
The intensive care unit, operating theatres and oncology departments all were damaged, officials said.
One doctor conducting surgery at the time of the strike was reportedly flung into a wall because of the explosion, suffering a minor head injury. The rest of the surgical team and his patient survived.
Residents from nearby streets rushed to Okhmatdyt Hospital after the blast to bring piles of bottled water to help anyone involved in the missile attack clean up.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed patients were then moved to other hospitals around the capital.
Mr Klitschko said: “Today, the country felt not fear, but even more rage and hatred. There will be an answer for terror against civilians and children.”
Marina Ploskonos said her 4-year-old son had spinal surgery Friday. She said: “My child is terrified. This shouldn’t be happening, it’s a children’s hospital,” she said, bursting into tears.
Ukraine’s Security Service said it found wreckage from a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile at the site and had opened proceedings on war crime charges.
The Kh-101 is an air-launched missile that flies low to avoid detection by radar. Ukraine said it shot down 11 of 13 Kh-101 missiles launched Monday.
Czech President Petr Pavel said the hospital attack was “inexcusable” and that he expected to see at the NATO summit a consensus that Russia was “the biggest threat for which we must be thoroughly prepared.”
The UN humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, said striking children was “unconscionable.”
Russia’s Defence Ministry said the strikes targeted Ukrainian defence plants and military air bases and were successful.
It denied aiming at any civilian facilities and claimed without evidence that pictures from Kyiv indicated the damage was caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile.