Fear and relief as relatives rush to attacked hospital in Ukraine

Thousands streamed by hand to the scene of a devastating attack on a children’s hospital in Kyiv on Monday, clearing away bricks and rubble after a massive assault across the country left more than 30 people dead.

Shortly after survivors of the attack emerged from the basement bunker of the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital, crowds gathered to form a human chain and clear away the rubble piece by piece.

Local residents, rescue workers, military personnel and doctors in blood-stained scrubs worked together to clear rubble from the destroyed hospital after reports of people trapped under the debris.

Large parts of the hospital were destroyed in the attack, which Ukrainian authorities said was caused by a Russian cruise missile.

Two nearby hospital buildings were also badly damaged by the explosion: most of the windows were broken and the walls were smeared with blood.

As rockets rained down on Kyiv, Pavlo Holoviy rushed to the children’s hospital where his son was recovering from a recent operation.

When he arrived, smoke was still rising from the rubble.

The 37-year-old said it was “impossible to express his feelings” after finding his wife and son safe and sound.

“To be honest, my main concern was to see my wife and child. I didn’t pay any attention to the rest,” said Holoviy.

Patients, staff and family members rushed to the basement after an air raid alarm sounded the previous Monday, says 40-year-old Natalia Svidler.

“We heard a loud rumble and then the basement ceiling collapsed a little,” said Svidler, whose son Illia was scheduled to undergo surgery in the hospital later this week.

“Of course everyone was very scared. Everyone started screaming and running away.”

After an air raid siren sounded early in the morning, medical staff responded quickly and brought patients and staff to the basement of the facility.

“For some reason we always thought Okhmatdyt was protected,” said Nina, a 68-year-old hospital worker.

“We were 100 percent sure that (the Russians) would not strike here,” she told AFP, describing the frantic rush as staff brought children with IV drips into the bunker.

“I would rather be killed! I have already lived! But why these children?” she asked.

– Hospital “destroyed” –

Broken glass and drops of blood were scattered throughout the hospital’s hallways and doorways as rescue workers combed the grounds looking for survivors.

“The premises are destroyed. It is probably impossible to work at the moment,” Oleksandr, a doctor at the hospital, told AFP.

A paramedic threw a small pink backpack out the window of the destroyed building while others rolled away large chunks of brick to clear the way for the paramedics.

The body of an adult was covered with a plastic sheet and placed on a patch of grass near the hospital.

Later, an explosion sounded over the capital, causing rescue workers and residents assisting in the rescue operation to run for cover.

Local authorities later said a second medical facility in Kyiv had been hit, killing at least four people.

The attack on the hospital came as cities across Ukraine were targeted by heavy Russian bombardment early Monday morning, leaving more than 20 people dead and dozens more injured, according to officials.

The Russian Defense Ministry later stated that the damage in Kiev was caused by a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile.

The ministry said Russian forces had attacked their “intended” targets in the arms industry and military.

The rare Russian bombing in broad daylight came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy landed in Warsaw before heading to the NATO summit in Washington, where he is expected to ask for more military support from the country’s allies.

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