Russia Escalates Conflict with Heaviest Kyiv Bombardment, Hits Hospital

Dozens of Russian missiles struck various Ukrainian cities on Monday, targeting residential buildings and a major children's hospital in Kyiv. Local residents assisted emergency crews in searching through the debris. Officials reported at least 31 fatalities.

The daytime assault involved over 40 missiles hitting five Ukrainian cities, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared on social media. Ukraine's air force intercepted 30 missiles, but more than 150 people were injured. This was the heaviest bombardment of Kyiv in nearly four months, affecting seven out of ten districts. Seven people died in the capital, including two hospital staff members, and three children were injured.

Missile Strikes and Casualties

In Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy's birthplace, ten people were killed. "It is very important that the world should not be silent about it now and that everyone should see what Russia is and what it is doing," Zelenskyy stated on social media. Russia denied targeting the hospital, claiming the strikes hit military objectives.

The attack occurred a day before Western leaders were set to begin a three-day NATO summit in Washington. The summit aimed to reassure Kyiv of unwavering support and discuss how to help Ukraine survive Europe's largest conflict since World War II. During a visit to Poland, Zelenskyy expressed hope for more air defense systems from the summit.

Impact on Kyiv's Children's Hospital

At Kyiv's Okhmatdyt children's hospital, rescuers searched for victims under the rubble of a partially collapsed wing. The main building's windows and doors were blown out, walls blackened, and blood was seen on the floor. Intensive care units, operating theatres, and oncology departments were damaged.

Health Minister Viktor Liashko said three heart surgeries were underway during the strike, contaminating patients' open chests with debris. The hospital lost water, light, and oxygen; patients were transferred to other facilities. Rescuers formed lines to pass debris while smoke rose from the building.

Mothers carried their children away or waited in the courtyard as calls to doctors went unanswered. Another air-raid siren later sent many hurrying to the hospital's shelter. Led by flashlights through dark corridors, mothers carried bandaged children while medical workers transported others on gurneys. Volunteers handed out candy to calm the children.

International Reactions

Marina Ploskonos said her four-year-old son had spinal surgery recently. "My child is terrified," she said tearfully. "This shouldn't be happening; it's a children's hospital." UN human rights commissioner Volker Türk noted that among the victims were Ukraine's sickest children. A UN team visited shortly after the strike and saw children receiving cancer treatment in parks and streets.

"This is abominable, and I implore those with influence to do everything in their power to ensure these attacks stop immediately," Türk urged. Kyiv city administrators declared July 9 a day of mourning with entertainment events prohibited and flags lowered.

Further Attacks and Damage

Ukraine's Security Service found wreckage from a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile at the site and opened war crime proceedings. The Kh-101 is an air-launched missile designed to avoid radar detection. Ukraine claimed it shot down 11 of 13 Kh-101 missiles launched Monday.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Monday's missile strikes "particularly shocking," according to UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. The UN Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Tuesday at France and Ecuador's request. Russia will preside over the meeting as it holds the council's rotating presidency this month.

Legal Implications

The International Criminal Court's charter states that intentionally attacking hospitals is a war crime unless they are military targets. Last month, arrest warrants were issued for Russia's former defense minister and military chief of staff for attacking Ukraine's electricity network.

Russia's Defence Ministry claimed the strikes targeted Ukrainian defence plants and military air bases successfully while denying civilian facility attacks. They alleged without evidence that damage photos from Kyiv resulted from a Ukrainian air defense missile.

Ongoing Conflict

Since early in the war now into its third year, Russian officials have consistently denied targeting civilian infrastructure despite evidence to the contrary, including Associated Press reports. Over 1,600 medical facilities have been damaged since the war began; 214 have been completely destroyed according to Ukrainian Health Ministry data published last month.

Col Yurii Ignat of Ukraine's air force noted Russia has improved its airstrike effectiveness by equipping missiles with enhancements like heat traps that evade air-defense systems. In Monday's attack, cruise missiles flew as low as 50 metres off the ground, making them harder to intercept.

A few hours after initial strikes, more missiles hit Kyiv partially destroying a private medical centre where four people died according to Ukraine’s Emergency Service. In Shevchenkivskyi district, a three-story residential building section was destroyed; emergency crews found three bodies there.

Advanced Weaponry

The powerful blast wave scorched nearby buildings, shattered windows, and flung a dog into a neighbouring yard resident Halina Sichievka said. "Now we don't have anything in our apartment—no windows no doors nothing," she lamented.

Some weapons used included Kinzhal hypersonic missiles among Russia’s most advanced flying at ten times sound speed making them hard to intercept city buildings shook from blasts damaging or destroying three electricity substations in two Kyiv districts energy company DTEK reported.