On July 8, 2024, in broad daylight, the Russian military space forces fired more than 40 ballistic and aeroballistic missiles into Ukraine. This time Kyiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Sloviansk, Kramatorsk were under shelling.
Civilian infrastructure was hit during a massive missile attack, which led to numerous casualties and destruction. One of the targets was the National Specialized Children’s Hospital“Ohmatdyt” in Kyiv. A modern hospital well-known not only in Ukraine, but throughout Europe. This is the largest hospital in Ukraine, where many medical specialists provide assistance to children, including to those with cancer and victims of Russian aggression. The target of the Russians was the building of the toxicology department, with a seriously ill children needed dialysis; the intensive care unit was also damaged. At least eight people are already known to have died and more than 20 were injured. The Russian aggressor purposefully kills Ukrainian children, the future of Ukraine!
Here are some figures from the World Health Organization about the losses and suffering of Ukrainians from almost three years of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine:
• more than 10,000 civilians killed;
• more than 30,000 civilians were injured;
• about 1,600 attacks on the Ukrainian healthcare system;
• more than 120 medical workers were killed.
This barbaric shelling only increases the figures. Tragic statistics…
An attack on civilian targets, including a children’s hospital, is a clear violation of international humanitarian law and all moral standards. Russia’s actions must be condemned by the world community as barbarism and terrorism. The UN has already stated that such attacks could be classified as war crimes.
A rocket hit an office building in one of the districts of Kyiv, which led to terrifying consequences: under the impact wave, people flew out of the windows. This Kremlin attack is another act of aggression aimed at intimidating civilians and destroying Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure. There are already 10 dead and more than 30 injured in Kryvyi Rih, at least 3 dead in Pokrovsk. The number of victims will only grow, as the rescue operationcontinues.
These tragic events highlight the importance of international support for Ukraine, especially ahead of the NATO Summit, which will take place in Washington from July 9—11, 2024. The Summit should be a platform to discuss strategic measures to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses and unite allied efforts to prevent further Russia’s aggression.
The international community must increase pressure on Russia and provide Ukraine with all the necessary support to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Only joint efforts can stop aggression and bring long-awaited peace to Ukrainian soil.