A missile attack on a medical facility in Ukraine’s city of Dnipro, eastern Ukraine, has left one person dead and at least 23 others injured. The incident has been condemned as a “crime against humanity” by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The attack on the psychological dispensary caused a fire, which rescuers have since managed to localise. This is not the first time that Dnipro has been targeted by Russia-backed separatists who were also responsible for an attack on a residential building in January that killed 46 people.
Furthermore, a dam in the Karlivka district of Donetsk in the east of Ukraine has been hit by a Russian missile, putting settlements nearby under threat of flooding. The region has been embroiled in a conflict between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists since 2014.
In response to the missile and drone attacks, the Ukrainian air force said it had shot down 10 missiles and 25 drones launched by Russia against Kiev and eastern regions. The missiles were reportedly fired from the Caspian Sea and the drones were Iranian-made. Overall, a total of 17 missiles and 31 drones had been launched during the attack, which lasted from 10pm local time on Thursday until 5am on Friday.
As a result of the attack on the medical facility, 21 people were taken to hospital, with three seriously injured. Another body has been recovered from the site, and the country’s ombudsman says another four people are still missing. The attack on a medical facility has been widely condemned as a violation of international humanitarian law.
The latest missile and drone attacks on Ukraine highlight the ongoing conflict in the region, with Russia-backed separatists continuing to pose a threat to the Ukrainian government. The attack on a medical facility has caused outrage, with President Zelenskiy calling it a “crime against humanity”. The international community must work together to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict and prevent further civilian casualties.
