Ukraine mourns after day of Russian air strikes

Ukraine is observing a day of mourning following one of the heaviest waves of Russian missile attacks in months, which killed at least 41 people and injured 166.

Buildings hit in cities across the country on Monday included the largest children’s hospital in the capital, Kyiv.

Russia denied attacking the hospital and said it was hit by shrapnel from a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile. Ukraine said it had found remnants of a Russian cruise missile.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack “brutal” and described his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as a “bloody criminal.”

NATO is preparing to hold a summit in Washington later on Tuesday, with the military bloc’s response to the invasion of Ukraine high on the agenda.

World leaders allied with Ukraine have condemned the attack, including new British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

He described the “attack on innocent children” as “the most reprehensible act of all” and promised Kyiv his continued support even after the change of government in Great Britain.

US President Joe Biden called the attacks a “horrific reminder of Russia’s brutality” and announced that further support for Ukraine’s air defense systems would soon be announced.

Mr Zelensky said Russia fired more than 40 missiles on Monday, damaging nearly 100 buildings in Kyiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

Images from the scene of the explosion at the Kyiv hospital – which specializes in cancer treatment and organ transplants – show children hooked up to IV drips sitting outside the damaged facility, waiting to be evacuated.

Rescue workers and paramedics dug through the rubble to search for survivors, but it was unclear how many were still trapped.

On Monday afternoon, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 16 people were injured in the hospital strike, including seven children.

He said the attacks across the city were among the worst Kyiv had seen since the war began. He ordered flags to be flown at half-mast on Tuesday and canceled entertainment events.

Following the strike, Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina wore a black ribbon as a sign of respect while playing in the round of 16 at Wimbledon on Monday afternoon.

During her post-match interview, she fought back tears and said: “It wasn’t easy to concentrate on the game today.

“It has been difficult to read the news since this morning. Going out onto the pitch is extremely hard.”

The UN human rights mission in Ukraine said the number of civilian casualties had increased in recent months due to the resumption of Russian air strikes.

According to a recent report, May was the month with the most civilian deaths in nearly a year.

On Tuesday morning, the governor of the Rostov region in southern Russia said a fire had broken out at a nuclear power plant after Ukraine launched dozens of drones.