Serene
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Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital likely took a direct hit from a Russian missile on Monday, a United Nations assessment has found, as NATO agreed to strengthen Kyiv’s air defenses in the wake of the attack.
Russia has repeatedly denied targeting the hospital in Kyiv and alleged, without evidence, that a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile caused the blast. But a UN human rights official said evidence suggested Moscow’s forces were responsible for the deadly strike.
“Analysis of the video footage and assessment made at the incident site indicates a high likelihood that the children’s hospital suffered a direct hit rather than receiving damages due to an intercepted weapons system,” Danielle Bell, head of the UN’s Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, told reporters Tuesday.
Bell said the attack damaged the intensive care, surgical and oncology wards at Kyiv’s Okhmatdyt hospital, which has been vital in the care of some of the sickest children from across the country, adding that Ukrainian officials have since transferred 600 children to other hospitals.
“This terrible attack shows that nowhere is safe in Ukraine,” Bell added.
The UN assessment tallies with weapons experts, who told CNN that it was highly likely a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile struck the children’s hospital in Kyiv on Monday.
Reviewing video footage that CNN had verified and geolocated and images of fragments from the scene, weapons experts said that evidence strongly suggests the hospital was struck by a Russian cruise missile as opposed to a Ukrainian air defense projectile.
Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London, told CNN Wednesday that the flight profile in the footage of the missile hitting the hospital is “exactly correct for the Kh-101, with the right dive angle, under power and not tumbling or falling like a spent air-defence missile might.” The silhouette of the rocket visible in the footage also matches the Kh-101, Bronk said.
Two adults were killed in the strike and 16 others - including seven children - were injured, according to Ukrainian officials, as Russia launched a brazen daytime aerial assault on targets in cities across Ukraine during morning rush hour, killing at least 43 people in total.
Russia has repeatedly denied targeting the hospital in Kyiv and alleged, without evidence, that a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile caused the blast. But a UN human rights official said evidence suggested Moscow’s forces were responsible for the deadly strike.
“Analysis of the video footage and assessment made at the incident site indicates a high likelihood that the children’s hospital suffered a direct hit rather than receiving damages due to an intercepted weapons system,” Danielle Bell, head of the UN’s Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, told reporters Tuesday.
Bell said the attack damaged the intensive care, surgical and oncology wards at Kyiv’s Okhmatdyt hospital, which has been vital in the care of some of the sickest children from across the country, adding that Ukrainian officials have since transferred 600 children to other hospitals.
“This terrible attack shows that nowhere is safe in Ukraine,” Bell added.
The UN assessment tallies with weapons experts, who told CNN that it was highly likely a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile struck the children’s hospital in Kyiv on Monday.
Reviewing video footage that CNN had verified and geolocated and images of fragments from the scene, weapons experts said that evidence strongly suggests the hospital was struck by a Russian cruise missile as opposed to a Ukrainian air defense projectile.
Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London, told CNN Wednesday that the flight profile in the footage of the missile hitting the hospital is “exactly correct for the Kh-101, with the right dive angle, under power and not tumbling or falling like a spent air-defence missile might.” The silhouette of the rocket visible in the footage also matches the Kh-101, Bronk said.
Two adults were killed in the strike and 16 others - including seven children - were injured, according to Ukrainian officials, as Russia launched a brazen daytime aerial assault on targets in cities across Ukraine during morning rush hour, killing at least 43 people in total.
The attack on Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital highlights the devastating impact of this conflict on innocent lives. The evidence pointing to a Russian missile strike is deeply concerning. It's crucial that the international community continues to support Ukraine and strengthen its defenses. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. 
