UN on Russia's strike on Okhmatdyt: Hospital suffered direct hit
Photo: Okhmatdyt hospital after shelling on July 8 (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The strike on the children's hospital Okhmatdyt in Kyiv was likely caused by a direct hit from a Russian missile, according to the head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, Danielle Bell.
According to her, an analysis and examination of photo and video materials led the UN to reach these conclusions.
"Analysis of the video footage and an assessment made at the incident site indicates a high likelihood that the children's hospital suffered a direct hit rather than receiving damage due to an intercepted weapon system," Bell stated.
She also mentioned that her team visited the site but couldn't make a definitive conclusion, yet it appears the missile was launched by the Russian Federation.
"Staff had moved the children to a bunker yesterday morning when the air raid sirens first went off otherwise the casualties would have been much higher," she added.
Shelling of Kyiv on July 8
On Monday, July 8, Russia conducted a mass strike on Ukraine, notably targeting Kyiv where the children's hospital Okhmatdyt was hit.
By the morning of July 9, emergency rescue operations at Okhmatdyt in Kyiv were completed. Simultaneously, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) received new evidence indicating that Russia struck Okhmatdyt with a Kh-101 missile.
