War in Ukraine: Horrible images from bombings on a maternity and children's hospital are circulating

The war in Ukraine is in its third week. More than 2 million people have fled Ukraine for the safety of neighbouring countries. Moscow has reported 500 dead military personnel, while the Pentagon has higher estimates between 2,000 and 4,000 Russian deaths. While the UN says it has verified 516 civilian deathsacross Ukraine, it believes the real figures are 'considerably higher.'

A maternity and paediatric hospital targeted, 17 injured

This Wednesday 9 March, the war seems to have taken a new turn. A maternity and paediatric hospital in the city of Mariupol, besieged by the Russians, was bombed. Pavlo Kirilenko, a regional official, said that the Russian bombing had injured 17 people.

The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy quickly denounced the 'atrocity.' He added on Twitter 'stop the killings,' sharing a video of the destroyed building.

Other videos were posted on social networks showing the violence of the attack, with a large crater outside the hospital and visibly extensive property damage. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote on Twitter:

There are few things more depraved than targeting the vulnerable and defenceless.

Details and condemnations

Igor Zhovkva, advisor to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, gave frightening details on BFM TV:

What happened today was an absolutely horrific bombing of civilians and a maternity hospital. There are women who were hospitalised there waiting to give birth.

The Ukrainian President himself spoke of a 'war crime,' whereas Alexei Mechkov, Russian ambassador to France, denied it while on the set of BFM TV. According to him, the Russian army has orders 'not to hit civilians.'