President Zelensky described the attack as an ‘atrocity’, a ‘war crime’, and ‘proof of genocide’ against Ukraine
The hospital, in the besieged city of Mariupol, was hit ‘several times’ by high-explosive Russian bombs – one of which missed the building by yards and left a crater two-stories deep, officials said. Other bombs scored ‘direct hits’, according to President Zelensky, wounding at least 17 people.
Sergei Orlov, deputy mayor of Mariupol, said he is ‘absolutely sure’ the Russians knew they were bombing a hospital when they launched the attack late yesterday – adding ‘this is the third hospital they have destroyed’ after a 300-bed Covid unit and blood bank were targeted on Tuesday.
Many of the pregnant women present at the hospital were hiding the the basement at the time of the strike on the orders of hospital authorities – a move indicative of the harsh bombardment suffered by Mariupol’s citizens over the past week, and one which likely saved many lives.
For, surely, no one can fail to be moved by the heartbreaking images and stories of families – mostly women, children, the infirm and elderly – fleeing from the bombs and guns.
