- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
A Russian drone strike on the city of Kharkiv on Friday hit a maternity hospital, terrifying patients and staff. The attack shattered windows, causing glass to fall on hospital beds where mothers and newborns were resting. The explosion forced families to flee in panic, rushing to protect their infants. According to Kharkiv regional prosecutors, three women and three newborns suffered acute stress and were treated medically.
See also: Kyiv to allocate $6.2 million to drone interceptor program
One mother, Oleksandra Lavrynenko, had just given birth when the explosion occurred. She described waking up to a loud whistle followed by a direct hit. She and her husband immediately ran to protect their one-day-old son, Maksym, and rushed to shelter underground. She said the fear was overwhelming, and despite her recent surgery, she reacted instinctively to save her child.
Shards of glass covered the floors and beds. Medical staff quickly prepared for evacuation. One doctor, Oleksandr Kondriatskyi, said the blast damaged the area of the hospital where surgeries and deliveries take place. He noted that all patients and staff were deeply shaken. Many of the women had just undergone childbirth or surgery and were still recovering.
The attack reflects a growing pattern of increased aerial strikes by Russia across Ukraine. Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city in the northeast, has been a frequent target since Russia began its full invasion in 2022.
In addition to the hospital damage, the drone strike also hit residential areas of Kharkiv. Authorities confirmed that nine people were injured and an apartment building sustained damage. Over the past twenty-four hours, at least one person has died and five others have been injured across the surrounding Kharkiv region due to Russian attacks.
Oleh Syniehubov, the regional governor, confirmed the casualties and said the area continues to suffer under near daily assaults. The rising intensity of these attacks in recent weeks has put immense pressure on both emergency services and civilian populations.
See also: Deadly new Russian drone and missile attack hits Kyiv
The strike on a maternity hospital especially shocked many in Ukraine and beyond. Hospitals are meant to be protected civilian spaces under international law, and targeting them violates basic humanitarian principles. The presence of mothers recovering from childbirth and fragile newborns made the attack all the more horrifying.
Doctors and staff now face the dual challenge of tending to physical wounds and helping patients cope with emotional trauma. Several of the new mothers had just undergone surgery and are now trying to recover under extreme emotional stress.
As the war drags on, these kinds of attacks raise urgent questions about the safety of civilian infrastructure in conflict zones. Ukraine continues to call for stronger international support and increased air defenses to protect cities like Kharkiv from further devastation.
The global community has condemned attacks on civilian hospitals, but for those living through it in Ukraine, the need is not only for words it is for real protection and swift response.
- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
Comments
Post a Comment