MOSCOW: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia on Monday of "striking a children's hospital" in Kyiv. "Okhmatdet Children's Hospital in Kyiv, one of the most important not only in Ukraine but also in Europe, is exclusively a children's hospital. Okhmatdet has saved and restored the health of thousands of children. Now, the hospital has been damaged by a Russian strike," Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. He stated that Russia launched a massive missile attack on Ukraine, targeting Kyiv as well as the cities of Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Slovyansk, and Kramatorsk with more than 40 various missiles. According to Zelenskyy, "there are people trapped under the rubble, and the exact number of injured and dead remains unknown." "Now everyone is helping to clear the rubble - doctors, ordinary people," he said. Zelenskyy shared that homes, infrastructure, and a children's hospital in the capital were damaged in the attacks and mentioned that all emergency services were operating in the affected areas. Zelens kyy argued that the Russian military "are aware of the targets they hit," urging international bodies to punish them "for all their crimes." "It is very important that the world is not silent about this now and that everyone sees what Russia is and what it is doing," he said. Russia has yet to comment on Ukraine's claims. Previously, the Russian leadership has repeatedly stated that its army only targets military-related objects in Ukraine. Kyiv City Military Administration Chief Serhiy Popko also posted on social media, noting that the air defense system was active in Kyiv and that missile fragments had fallen in various districts of the capital due to Russian attacks. Popko reported damage to some buildings and vehicles in the Solomian, Holosiiv, Darnytsia, and Sviatoshyn districts from the missile fragments and noted that the children's hospital in the Shevchenko district was damaged. He also stressed that at least seven people were killed and 25 were injured in the attack on the capital. Meanwhile, Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the Kryvyi Rih City Defense Council, stated that preliminary information indicated that 10 people were killed and 31 were injured during the attacks. Russia rejects Ukraine's accusations The Russian Defense Ministry rejected on Monday Ukraine's claims about a strike on a children's hospital in Kyiv. The ministry said in a statement that Ukraine's claims "about Russia's allegedly deliberate missile strike on civilian targets are absolutely untrue." "Numerous published photos and video footage from Kyiv unequivocally confirm the fact of destruction due to the fall of a Ukrainian air defense missile launched from an anti-aircraft missile system in the city," it said. The ministry emphasized that Kyiv often makes such statements ahead of meetings with NATO representatives. The NATO summit is scheduled for July 9-11 in Washington. Independent confirmation of claims of both sides is impossible due to the ongoing war. Source: Anadolu Agency
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