President Zelenskiy asserts that global action can halt 'Russian aggression' following assault on Kyiv pediatric facility

On Tuesday, rescue workers continued excavating through the rubble left behind by a devastating Russian missile strike on Monday that claimed 38 lives, including four children. The attack took place at Kyiv's children's hospital and occurred just before a NATO meeting in Washington.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for stronger air defenses during his address to the nation. He emphasized that the world had "the necessary strength" to halt what he referred to as Russia's "terror." US President Joe Biden, set to meet with Zelenskiy at the summit, described the attack as a "horrific reminder of Russian brutality."

Ukraine's security service reported that debris from the strike and flight data suggested Moscow targeted Okhmatdyt children's hospital using a Kh-101 cruise missile. The blast claimed Svitlana Lukianchuk, a 30-year-old nephrologist and mother of an admitted child, along with other victims in the two-story building housing the hospital's dialysis unit.

Svylad Maliuk, Ukraine's SBU security service chief, vowed "maximum retribution" for those involved in planning and executing these attacks. The strikes took place in Kyiv during a time when many people were at home due to the morning hours, along with cities such as Dnipro and Kryvyi Rih.

Rescue volunteers, firefighters, police officers, and soldiers continued their efforts on Tuesday amidst widespread international condemnation over these attacks that destroyed a children's hospital in the capital city of Kyiv. The devastating event led to significant donations totaling £5.7m for rebuilding purposes as reported by Ukrainian media.

Iryna Filimonova, head nurse on one of the hospital's wards, expressed her disbelief and horror at witnessing such an act firsthand during a Guardian interview. She mentioned that despite the destruction, all patients had been transferred to other medical institutions amidst this crisis.

In response to Monday's attacks, which affected multiple cities in Ukraine, including Kyiv, President Zelenskiy thanked everyone involved in rescue efforts and emphasized ongoing work towards better protecting communities from similar future threats. Additionally, the Ukrainian mayor, Vitaliy Klitschko, reported that two women were among those found deceased after their residential building was struck by missiles.

As tensions escalated globally, Russia's state media largely ignored the incident on children's hospital while blaming Ukraine for staging a "PR operation steeped in blood." Meanwhile, US President Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed these events during their meeting at the NATO summit.