Jordan Ellis
On 8 July 2024, a Russian missile struck Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv, Ukraine, forcing the evacuation of dozens of young patients, including those undergoing dialysis and cancer treatment. The attack killed at least four people, injured hundreds, and severely damaged several departments, including intensive care and oncology units. This incident adds to the growing list of Russian attacks on Ukrainian medical facilities, with at least 1,736 medical facilities in Ukraine damaged or destroyed since the start of the invasion. The international community has widely condemned the attack on Okhmatdyt Hospital as a potential war crime and an act beyond the limits of humanity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of attack | 8 July 2024 |
| Hospital name | Okhmatdyt Hospital, Ukraine's largest children's medical centre |
| Number of patients | 600 |
| Number of hospital workers | 600 |
| Time of attack | 9:52 a.m. |
| Type of attack | Missile strike |
| Number of missiles | 38 |
| Targeted areas | Kyiv and other cities |
| Number of civilian sites attacked | 100 |
| Number of injured | 190-300 |
| Number of children injured | 8-20 |
| Number of deaths | 2-4 |
| Departments damaged | Intensive care, oncology, surgical, toxicology, traumatology |
| Number of children evacuated | 31 |
| Date of evacuation | 10 July 2024 |
| Location of evacuation | National Cancer Institute in Kyiv |
| Russia's response | Denied targeting the hospital, claimed it was hit by fragments of a Ukrainian missile |
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What You'll Learn
- Okhmatdyt Hospital was one of many targets in the heavy missile strike on Kyiv on 8 July 2024
- The attack injured 300 people, including eight children, and killed two adults
- The Russian Federation launched 38 missiles, attacking almost 100 civilian sites
- The Russian government denied targeting the hospital, claiming it was hit by a Ukrainian air defence missile
- The attack on Okhmatdyt Hospital has been described as far beyond the limits of humanity
Okhmatdyt Hospital was one of many targets in the heavy missile strike on Kyiv on 8 July 2024
On 8 July 2024, Russia launched a heavy missile strike on Kyiv and other cities, hitting almost 100 civilian sites. Okhmatdyt Hospital, Ukraine's largest children's medical centre, was one of many targets. The hospital, which treats around 80,000 children a year, many of them cancer and blood disease patients, was struck by a Russian missile. The attack forced the evacuation of hundreds of children, including those undergoing dialysis treatment and three heart surgeries.
The missile struck the intensive care department and a therapy department for chronic intoxications. The floors collapsed, and people could be heard crying out for help from beneath the rubble. 300 people were injured, including eight children, and two adults died. 600 patients had to be evacuated, and the hospital's toxicology building and traumatology department were completely destroyed.
The Russian Federation launched 38 missiles in the attack, which also hit a maternity hospital in Kyiv's Dniprovsky district, killing seven people. The Security Service of Ukraine recovered fragments of a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile from the site of the Okhmatdyt Hospital strike. Russia denied targeting the hospital, claiming it had been hit by fragments of a Ukrainian air defence missile. However, Ukraine said it had found remnants of a Russian cruise missile, and the hospital director presented images of missile fragments retrieved from under the hospital, stating that the footage showed the hospital was a deliberate target.
The attack on Okhmatdyt Hospital was not an isolated incident. Since Russia commenced its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, at least 1,736 medical facilities in Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed. On 9 March 2022, a Russian bomb landed in the courtyard of Mariupol's Hospital #3, a children's hospital and maternity ward, killing and injuring patients and staff. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and other world leaders described the bombing as a war crime.
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The attack injured 300 people, including eight children, and killed two adults
On 8 July 2024, Russia attacked Okhmatdyt, Ukraine's largest children's hospital, injuring 300 people, including eight children, and killing two adults. The hospital, located in Kyiv, is renowned for its cancer treatment, and many of the children had been long-term patients. The attack forced the evacuation of 600 patients, including those undergoing dialysis and heart surgery.
The missile struck at 10:42 a.m., over an hour after air raid sirens first sounded at 9:52 a.m., prompting hospital staff to begin evacuating patients to the bomb shelter. The blast caused floors to collapse, trapping people beneath the rubble. The intensive care department, therapy department for chronic intoxications, toxicology building, and traumatology department were all destroyed.
Volodymyr Zhovnir, the hospital director, described the attack as "not just a war crime, it is far beyond the limits of humanity". He noted that the hospital treats children with cancer and other heavy diseases. Tirana Hassan, executive director of Human Rights Watch, echoed this sentiment, stating that "attacks directed at medical facilities are war crimes under international humanitarian law, and the strike that hit Okhmatdyt children's hospital should be investigated as a potential war crime".
Russia denied targeting the hospital, claiming that it had been hit by fragments of a Ukrainian air defence missile. However, Ukraine asserted that it had found remnants of a Russian cruise missile at the site. This was corroborated by the Security Service of Ukraine, which published pictures of what it identified as fragments of a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile.
This incident is not isolated; since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at least 1,736 medical facilities in Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed. On 9 March 2022, a Russian airstrike bombed Maternity Hospital No. 3 in Mariupol, Ukraine, which also functioned as a children's hospital. Ukrainian and international leaders condemned this attack as a war crime.
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The Russian Federation launched 38 missiles, attacking almost 100 civilian sites
On 8 July 2024, the Russian Federation launched 38 missiles, attacking almost 100 civilian sites, including Ukraine's largest children's hospital, Okhmatdyt, in Kyiv. The hospital, which treats around 80,000 children a year, many of them cancer and blood disease patients, was struck by a powerful missile that caused severe damage. The intensive care units, oncology and surgical wings, and the toxicology and traumatology departments were completely destroyed.
The attack on the children's hospital resulted in immense civilian loss and harm. Two people died, and 300 were injured, including eight children. The hospital's director, Volodymyr Zhovnir, described the moment of the explosion: "The floors collapsed, and we could hear people crying out for help from beneath the rubble." 600 patients had to be evacuated, and an impromptu field clinic was set up outside the hospital.
The Russian Federation's strike on the children's hospital was widely condemned as a war crime. The European Union's head of Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, accused Russia of "ruthlessly targeting Ukrainian civilians". Similarly, the British Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, stated that whether the hospital was targeted deliberately or by indiscriminate fire, "it [was] a war crime".
The Russian government denied targeting the hospital, claiming that it had been hit by fragments of a Ukrainian air defence missile. However, evidence, including missile fragments retrieved from under the hospital and footage of the missile's trajectory, suggested that the hospital was a deliberate target. The Ukrainian philosopher Volodymyr Yermolenko summed up the sentiment in Kyiv: "Russia attacks the most vulnerable: children with cancer in Kyiv’s biggest children's hospital; [...] It’s a Russian war against life itself."
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The Russian government denied targeting the hospital, claiming it was hit by a Ukrainian air defence missile
On 8 July 2024, the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv, Ukraine, was hit by a missile strike, causing severe damage to several departments, including the intensive care units and oncology and surgical wings. The toxicology and traumatology departments were completely destroyed. The hospital is Ukraine's largest children's medical centre, treating around 80,000 children annually, many of them cancer and blood disease patients.
The bombing of Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital is not an isolated incident. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, at least 1,736 medical facilities in Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed. On 9 March 2022, a Russian airstrike bombed Maternity Hospital No. 3 in Mariupol, Ukraine, which also functioned as a children's hospital. The bombing resulted in the deaths of at least four people and injured at least sixteen, with at least one stillbirth. Similar attacks by Russian forces have been reported in the Syrian civil war.
The deliberate targeting of hospitals and medical facilities is considered a war crime under international humanitarian law. The attacks on Ukrainian medical infrastructure have drawn widespread condemnation from the international community, with many calling for investigations and accountability for those responsible.
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The attack on Okhmatdyt Hospital has been described as far beyond the limits of humanity
On July 8, 2024, Russia attacked Okhmatdyt Hospital, Ukraine's largest children's medical centre, treating around 80,000 children annually, many with cancer and blood diseases. The attack injured 300 people, including eight children, and killed two adults. 600 patients had to be evacuated, and the hospital's toxicology and traumatology departments were completely destroyed.
The attack has been described as "far beyond the limits of humanity" by Volodymyr Zhovnir, the hospital director. Zhovnir described the moment of the attack:
> At 9:52 a.m., when air raid sirens sounded, the hospital staff began evacuating patients to the bombshell shelter... At 10:42 a.m. we felt a powerful explosion... The floors collapsed, and we could hear people crying out for help from beneath the rubble.
The Russian Federation launched 38 missiles in the heavy missile strike on Kyiv and other cities, attacking almost 100 civilian sites. The attack on Okhmatdyt Hospital was, therefore, not an isolated incident. The Russian government has denied responsibility, claiming that the hospital was hit by fragments of a Ukrainian air defence missile. However, Ukraine has stated that remnants of a Russian cruise missile were found at the site.
The bombing of Okhmatdyt Hospital is not the first time Russia has been accused of attacking medical facilities in Ukraine. On March 9, 2022, a bomb air-dropped by Russian forces landed in the courtyard of Mariupol's Hospital #3, a children's hospital and maternity ward. The bombing killed at least four people and injured at least sixteen, causing a stillbirth. The Russian government again denied responsibility, claiming that the hospital had been taken over by Ukrainian soldiers. However, these claims have been refuted by several media organizations and eyewitness accounts.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, on July 8, 2024, Russian forces bombed Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv, Ukraine. Okhmatdyt is Ukraine's largest children's hospital.
Two adults died and 300 people were injured, including eight children. 600 patients had to be evacuated.
The attack has been described as "far beyond the limits of humanity" and a "war crime" by the hospital director and the European Union head of Foreign Affairs. The Executive Director at Human Rights Watch said that the attack "only added to the horrendous toll" of civilian loss and harm caused by Russia's attacks in Ukraine.
