Image: Screen-grab from Twitter
Mariupol, Ukraine (JEN): Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said people including children have been trapped under the wreckage as a maternity and children's hospital in the southern port city of Mariupol has been hit by a Russian air strike.
Besides calling on the Western leaders to impose a no-fly zone, Zelensky shared footage apparently from inside the Mariupol hospital, which appeared badly damaged.
"Mariupol. Direct strike of Russian troops at the maternity hospital. People, children are under the wreckage," the Ukrainian President wrote on Twitter.
Mariupol. 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 power but you seem to be losing humanity. pic.twitter.com/FoaNdbKH5k
— Володимир ЗеленÑький (@ZelenskyyUa) March 9, 2022
"Atrocity! How much longer will the world be an accomplice ignoring terror? Close the sky right now! Stop the killings! You have power but you seem to be losing humanity," he added.
Local authorities told the Ukrainian media that at least 17 people, including children, women in labour and staff, have been wounded in the air strike.
🇷🇺Окупанти з літаків цілеÑпрÑмовано розбомбили дитÑчу лікарню у Маріуполі.
— 🇺🇦Armed Forces (@ArmedForcesUkr) March 9, 2022
Ð ÑƒÐ¹Ð½ÑƒÐ²Ð°Ð½Ð½Ñ ÐºÐ¾Ð»Ð¾Ñальні. pic.twitter.com/9pRjmGsPVq
Ukrainian MP Dmitry Gurin had initially told BBC that there were “a lot of dead and wounded women” in the hospital building, but, later Donetsk military administration chairman Pavel Kirilenko said there were no casualties among mothers and children.
Local media reported that at least 17 people, mainly medical staff, were wounded.
More footage of what Mariupol authorities say is the Children’s hospital No3 shortly after being hit by a Russian bomb pic.twitter.com/oe2jHXmZoo
— Bojan Pancevski (@bopanc) March 9, 2022
Mariupol, a strategic port city in southern Ukraine, has been under heavy attack since Russia began the invasion.
According to the Mariupol mayor's office, over 1,000 civilians have been killed so far in the shelling by the Russian forces.