Maternity Hospital Hit By Russian Bombs With 'Children Under Wreckage', Zelenskyy Says
City officials in Mariupol have said a children’s hospital has been destroyed amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
'The Russian occupying forces have dropped several bombs on the children’s hospital. The destruction is colossal,' the city council wrote in a post online, adding that the number of casualties is not yet known.
While the reports could not be verified, President Zelenskyy appeared to confirm the claims, writing on Twitter that there had been a 'direct strike' from Russian troops.
'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', he wrote.
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. pic.twitter.com/FoaNdbKH5k
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 9, 2022
Russia has denied targeting civilians as part of its invasion of Ukraine, which is now entering the two week mark.
Over two million refugees are said to have fled the warzone since the start of Vladimir Putin's 'special military operation', with several evacuation attempts through humanitarian corridoors coming to little avail as shelling continues.
Yesterday, March 8, Ukraine said Russian troops had breached a ceasefire agreement and bombed an evacuation route between Mariupol and Zaporizhzhia. Meanwhile, civilians in the heavily-bombarded Mariupol have been without power and basic necessities for nearly a week, with a child having died from dehydration after the water was cut, according to President Zelenskyy.
Earlier today, March 9, Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russian forces of 'holding 400,000 people hostage' in the city, which is encircled by Russian troops, amid scenes that have been described as 'apocalyptic', as per The Guardian.
'Almost 3,000 newborn babies lack medicine and food,' he tweeted, adding that Russia had been blocking 'humanitarian aid and evacuation' as 'indiscriminate shelling continues.'
If captured by the Kremlin, Mariupol - Ukraine's tenth-largest city - could enable Russia to establish a land corridor to Crimea.
If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information.
Featured Image Credit: Alamy/@ZelenskyyUa/Twitter
Topics: News, Russia, Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin
