Ethan Rhodes
On March 9, 2022, the Russian Air Force bombed a maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, killing at least four people and injuring at least sixteen, including several pregnant women, and leading to at least one stillbirth. This attack constituted a clear violation of IHL, and those responsible for it have committed a war crime. Russian authorities claimed that the bombing was justified due to the alleged presence of Ukrainian armed forces at the hospital. However, this claim has been dismissed as false by several media organizations and international entities, including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which confirmed that the maternity house was clearly identifiable and operational.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 9 March 2022 |
| Location | Mariupol, Ukraine |
| Hospital Name | Maternity Hospital No. 3 |
| Victims | At least 4 killed, at least 16 injured, at least 1 stillbirth, 1 pregnant woman and her baby |
| Reactions | International condemnation, described as a "war crime" by multiple sources |
| Denial by Russia | Presence of Ukrainian armed forces justified the attack |
| Other Incidents | Odesa maternity hospital attacked, Sloviansk City Clinical Hospital in Donetsk under constant assault |
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What You'll Learn
- The attack was condemned as a war crime by global leaders
- Russian journalists who reported the attack were charged under false information laws
- The attack caused colossal damage, with many injured and killed
- The hospital was clearly identifiable and operational, contradicting Russian claims
- The attack came as humanitarian corridors failed to materialise, trapping civilians
The attack was condemned as a war crime by global leaders
On March 9, 2022, the Russian Air Force bombed and destroyed Maternity Hospital No. 3 in Mariupol, Ukraine, during the Russian invasion of the country. The attack killed at least four people, injured at least sixteen, and caused at least one stillbirth. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that "people, children are under the wreckage" and called the strike an "atrocity".
The attack was widely condemned by global leaders as a war crime. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Josep Borrell, the European Union head of Foreign Affairs, and British armed forces minister James Heappey described the bombing as a war crime. Jen Psaki, the White House Press Secretary, told reporters that it was "horrifying to see the type of barbaric use of military force to go after innocent civilians in a sovereign country". British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted, "There are few things more depraved than targeting the vulnerable and defenseless". The Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, called the bombing "unacceptable", saying, "there are no reasons, there are no motivations to do this".
On April 13, 2022, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) published a report confirming that the maternity house was clearly identifiable and operational and that Russian forces had therefore perpetrated a war crime. The report concluded that the attack was deliberate, with no effective warning given and no time limit set.
In addition to the attack on Maternity Hospital No. 3, there have been reports of other maternity hospitals in Ukraine being targeted by Russian forces. On March 11, 2022, Associated Press journalists documented the bombing of another maternity hospital in Mariupol, from which a woman named Alana and her mother had to be evacuated. On June 10, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia carried out a "massive" attack overnight, hitting a maternity hospital in Odesa and causing several injuries and fatalities.
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Russian journalists who reported the attack were charged under false information laws
On 9 March 2022, the Russian Air Force bombed Maternity Hospital No. 3 in Mariupol, Ukraine, killing at least four people and injuring at least sixteen, with at least one stillbirth also reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Josep Borrell, the European Union head of Foreign Affairs, and British armed forces minister James Heappey described the bombing as a war crime.
On 22 March 2022, Russian television journalist Alexander Nevzorov was charged under Russia's "false information" law after reporting on the Russian shelling of the maternity hospital in Mariupol. Under a new law passed on 4 March, he could face up to 15 years in prison.
Nevzorov is not the only journalist to face charges under Russia's "false information" laws. In August 2023, Russian-American journalist Masha Gessen faced charges of spreading "false information" about the Russian army's actions in Ukraine. In June 2023, Ilya Krasilshchik, former publisher of the independent news site Meduza, was sentenced in absentia to 8 years in prison for similar charges. In March 2024, Russian journalist Roman Ivanov was sentenced to 7 years in prison for spreading "fake news" about the Russian army. In April 2024, Russian journalists Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin, who had worked for international media outlets, were arrested.
In addition to journalists, Russian authorities have opened at least 60 cases on the administrative offense of "discrediting Russian armed forces" in the days following the adoption of the new law on 4 March 2022. By 23 March, at least six criminal cases had been opened for "false information" about Russian armed forces' actions, and at least three of these involved aggravated charges. The laws have been used to suppress critical voices and independent media, with several prominent media organizations being shut down or suspending their operations. There is also a risk of the law being applied retroactively, as has been done in the past with other laws.
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The attack caused colossal damage, with many injured and killed
On 9 March 2022, the Russian Air Force bombed and destroyed the Mariupol maternity hospital in Ukraine, killing at least four people and injuring at least sixteen, with one stillbirth also reported. The attack caused colossal damage, with many injured and killed. Associated Press journalists, who were reporting from inside blockaded Mariupol, documented the attack and its aftermath. They captured footage of several bloodstained, pregnant mothers fleeing the blown-out maternity ward, with medics shouting and children crying.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said:
> Direct strike of Russian troops at the maternity hospital. People, children are under the wreckage. Atrocity! How much longer will the world be an accomplice ignoring terror? Close the sky right now! Stop the killings! You have the power but you seem to be losing humanity.
The attack was also condemned by global leaders and organisations. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the attack as "depraved", while Jen Psaki, the White House Press Secretary, said:
> It is horrifying to see the type of, the barbaric use of military force to go after innocent civilians in a sovereign country. There are few things more depraved than targeting the vulnerable and defenseless.
The Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, also commented:
> I say bombing a hospital is unacceptable. There are no reasons, there are no motivations, to do this.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) published a report on 13 April 2022, confirming that the maternity house was clearly identifiable and operational, and that Russian forces had therefore perpetrated a war crime. The report concluded that the attack was deliberate, with no effective warning given and no time limit set.
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The hospital was clearly identifiable and operational, contradicting Russian claims
On March 9, 2022, the Russian Air Force bombed and devastated Maternity Hospital No. 3 in Mariupol, Ukraine, during the Russian invasion of the country. The attack killed at least four people, injured at least sixteen, and led to at least one stillbirth. The maternity hospital also doubled as a children's hospital. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, among other officials, described the bombing as a war crime.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) published a report on April 13, 2022, covering the Mariupol hospital airstrike. The report confirmed that the maternity house was clearly identifiable and operational, contradicting Russian claims that the hospital was not functional and had been taken over by soldiers. Associated Press journalists reporting from inside Mariupol also documented the attack, capturing footage of several bloodstained, pregnant mothers fleeing the blown-out maternity ward.
Russian officials claimed that the bombing of the hospital was justified due to the alleged presence of Ukrainian armed forces at Mariupol Maternity Hospital No. 1. However, several media organizations dismissed these claims as false. The OSCE report further stated that the attack must have been deliberate, as no effective warning was given and no time limit was set. As a result, the report concluded that the attack constituted a clear violation of IHL and that those responsible had committed a war crime.
The bombing of the maternity hospital in Mariupol triggered global horror and outrage. The White House, along with other world leaders, condemned the "barbaric" use of force against civilians. The Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, called the bombing "unacceptable," stating that there are no reasons or motivations to justify such an attack. The attack occurred on a day when Russia had declared its forces would "observe a regime of silence."
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The attack came as humanitarian corridors failed to materialise, trapping civilians
On 9 March 2022, the Russian Air Force bombed a maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, killing at least four people, injuring at least sixteen, and causing at least one stillbirth. The attack triggered global horror and outrage, with many world leaders and organisations condemning it as a war crime.
The maternity hospital, known as Maternity Hospital No. 3, was a functioning hospital complex serving as both a children's hospital and a maternity ward. The attack occurred during the Russian invasion of Ukraine and came as much-needed humanitarian corridors failed to materialise, trapping civilians in besieged cities without basic supplies.
Humanitarian corridors are safe passages or routes that are demilitarised for a specific period to allow the safe movement of civilians, humanitarian workers, and essential goods and aid. They are usually established during active hostilities to enable safe passage for those wanting to leave conflict zones. In the case of the Mariupol bombing, the failure of these corridors to materialise left hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped and unable to flee to safety.
The creation of humanitarian corridors requires negotiation and agreement between the conflicting parties. While they aim to provide a temporary safe space, they are often challenging to design and implement and remain hazardous operations. In some cases, parties may agree to the terms but fail to adhere to them, as seen in the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict when Ukraine alleged that Russia continued fighting during a negotiated pause in combat.
The attack on the maternity hospital in Mariupol highlights the devastating consequences of the failure to establish safe humanitarian corridors. With civilians trapped and unable to evacuate, the bombing of the hospital resulted in unnecessary loss of life and injury, including children, exacerbating the horrors of war and the suffering of those caught in the conflict.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, on March 9, 2022, the Russian Air Force bombed and destroyed Maternity Hospital No. 3 in Mariupol, Ukraine.
Yes, at least four people were killed and at least sixteen were injured. There was at least one stillbirth, and a pregnant woman and her baby died as a direct result of the bombing.
The attack was widely condemned by the international community. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and the White House all described the attack as a "war crime".
On March 22, 2022, Russian journalist Alexander Nevzorov was charged under Russia's "false information" law for reporting on the Russian shelling of the maternity hospital. He could face up to 15 years in prison.
Yes, on June 10, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia carried out a massive overnight attack on several regions in Ukraine, including a maternity hospital in Odesa.
