UN says Russian cruise missile has ‘high probability’ of hitting Ukraine’s primary children’s clinic

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Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital was likely to suffer a direct hit from a Russian missile on Monday, a UN analysis has found, as NATO decided to strengthen Kiev’s air defenses in the wake of the attack.

Russia has repeatedly denied targeting the clinic in Kiev and has alleged without evidence that a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile caused the explosion. However, UN human rights evidence suggests that Moscow’s forces were responsible for the devastating confrontation.

Danielle Bell, head of the UN human rights tracking project in Ukraine, said, “Analysis of video footage and assessment conducted at the scene makes it more likely that the children’s hospital suffered damage caused by a jammed weapons system rather than a direct hit.” Got a shock.” , instructed newshounds on Tuesday.

Bell said the attack damaged intensive care, surgical and oncology wards at Kiev’s Okhmadite clinic, which were critical to assisting some of the sickest children across the country. Ukrainian authorities have since evacuated 600 children to alternative hospitals. Has been transferred.

“This horrific attack shows that nowhere in Ukraine is safe,” Bell said.

According to Ukrainian officials, two adults were killed in the collision and 16 others – including seven children – were injured, as Russia carried out open air strikes on targets in cities across Ukraine during the morning fast, killing at least Were killed. Out of 43 society in general.

The moves across Ukraine have been “strongly” condemned by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, with UN human rights chief Volker Turk calling for a “swift, thorough and independent investigation” into the attacks.

Members of the defense alliance said in a joint statement on Tuesday that the Russian attacks came as NATO leaders gathered in Washington, where the United States and NATO allies presented Ukraine with additional Patriot batteries and alternatives to strengthening Kiev’s soft defenses. Decided to give ways.

US President Joe Biden also announced plans to provide pristine air defenses to Ukraine in the tone of the opening NATO summit – providing much-needed assistance to the country at a critical juncture in its defense against Russian aggression.

Throughout his remarks Tuesday, Biden vowed that “the United States will ensure that when we export critical air defense interceptors, Ukraine is at the front of the line.”

Pictures and video of the crash at a Kiev clinic showing children suffering from cancer being treated outside the hospital showed an injured baby with blood on his face and palms.

CNN Group said on its website Tuesday that the devastation there shows how powerful the explosion should have been. Accumulations of debris can be seen in the park where part of the power plant once stood, beneath a section of ground life were the remains of a car that was completely flattened when the construction crashed, I am sick Am .

The UN tracking project said it was most likely that a KH-101 cruise missile launched by Russia struck the children’s clinic. Bell said it was “chosen based on video footage that shows the technical specifications of the type of weapon used” and that such photos “show the weapon directly impacting the hospital rather than being intercepted in the air.” ”

According to Bell, a military expert who visited the site after the explosion said the damage was “consistent with a direct hit”.

The UN project’s assessment matches research by gun experts who told CNN that photos of the clinch collision match a cruise missile rather than a Ukrainian air defense missile.

“Russia always knows where its missiles hit,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in Washington on Tuesday. Always.”

On Tuesday, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia repeated Moscow’s denials that it had put the youth clinic at the center.

“We did not bomb the children’s hospital,” Nebenzia said at a special meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) called after the attack. “If it had been a Russian attack, there would have been nothing left in the building. “All the children and most of the adults would have been killed, not injured.”

However the United States also blamed Russia for the climactic confrontation. US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the UNSC meeting that the Russian attack made it clear that Putin is not interested in peace.

While Kiev described the confrontation as a “targeted attack by Russia”, the Ukrainian Order Safety Carrier (SBU) announced that a Russian long-range cruise missile struck the lightning.

“Relevant evidence has already been found at the site of the tragedy: in particular, fragments of the rear part of the Kh-101 missile with the serial number and part of the steering wheel of the same missile,” the SBU said.

SBU head Vasil Maliuk vowed that the company would answer for what he called Russian war crimes.

“This retaliation will be both legal and moral,” he said.