8 July 2024 Ukraine missile strikes

A massive missile attack on Ukraine occurred on July 8, 2024, during the Russo-Ukrainian War. Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih and other cities of Ukraine came under fire from more than forty missiles of the Russian military.[8] In total, at least 41 people were killed and about 170 were injured.[9][10] In Kyiv, strikes damaged residential buildings and infrastructure as well as the Okhmatdyt children's hospital, the country's largest.[11] The international community condemned the attacks. The Security Service of Ukraine defined Russia's attack on the Okhmatdyt children's hospital as a war crime and initiated criminal proceedings into the matter.[12][8]

8 July 2024 Ukraine missile strikes
Part of attacks on civilians in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
The Okhmatdyt children's hospital following the airstrike
LocationKyiv, Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro, Pokrovsk
Date8 July 2024
10 a.m.
Attack type
Missile and guided bomb strike
WeaponsKh-101[1][2] and others
Deaths≥48[3][4][5][6]
Injured≥183[3][7][5][6]
Perpetrators Russia

Attack

 
Evacuation of a child near Okhmatdyt after the Russian attack

Around 10 a.m. Russian forces launched more than forty missiles towards Ukraine.[13]

The community of analysts Molfar found that the attack was carried out by pilots and maintenance personnel of the Engels-2 airbase in Saratov Oblast.[14]

Kyiv

Artem military plant

Six Russian missiles struck the Artem military plant [uk].[15] Russia claims that the plant produced munitions, while Ukrainian side denies this.[16][17][18] Associated Press stated that the plant produced "components for various military-grade missiles".[19]

Okhmatdyt children's hospital

One missile hit the Okhmatdyt children's hospital, where operating rooms were destroyed while operations were taking place there. Over 60% of the facility was destroyed and a fire was started. Some people were trapped beneath the rubble of Okhmatdyt.[13] Cancer patients were evacuated from the hospital with their parents.[20]

Russia claimed that the strikes were retaliation and hit defence industry targets[21] and the destruction was caused by Ukrainian air defenses.[22] The Security Service of Ukraine said it had found fragments of a Kh-101 missile.[5] According OSINT analysis, the Kh-101 missile was fully functional, powered by jet engine in flight and undamaged until impact.[23][24] UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission representatives confirmed these findings with "high likelihood" after visiting the impact site.[25]

Other strikes

 
Destroyed residential building in Kyiv (Shevchenkivskyi District)

In Kyiv, Solomianskyi, Dniprovskyi, Darnytskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, Desnianskyi, Shevchenkivskyi and Holosiivskyi districts of the city were affected.

In the Solomianskyi District, missiles hit a building with offices, as well as several floors of a multi-storey building. The total area of ​​destruction was 1,500 square meters, and seven people were killed. In the Holosiivskyi District, residential buildings, garages, and cars were damaged. In the Dniprovskyi District there was a missile attack in the area. In the Darnytskyi district, a private house was damaged by the impact. Fires broke out in the Desnianskyi and Sviatoshynskyi districts due to the attack. In the Shevchenkivskyi district, an apartment building was destroyed, and one entrance was completely destroyed. The residents had to be evacuated.[26]

 
Damaged building in Kyiv (Dniprovskyi District), which houses medical centers "Adonis" and "Isida"

Overall in Kyiv, 33 people were killed, including five children, and 121 were injured, 10 of them children, according to officials.[3]

Kryvyi Rih

In Kryvyi Rih, 11 people were killed[4] and 47 more were hospitalized[7] after a Russian missile strike hit an administrative building at a coal processing plant.[8]

Dnipro

In Dnipro, a strike hit a high-rise building, killing one person and injuring 12 others.[27][5]

Pokrovsk

In Pokrovsk, three people were killed,[28] while three others were injured.[6]

Reactions

 
Devastation around Okhmatdyt after the Russian attack

Ukraine

A day of mourning was declared on 9 July in Kryvyi Rih.[5] Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko accused Russia of "genocide of the Ukrainian population".[20]

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on NATO members states to show a "greater resilience and stronger response" to Russia's attacks on Ukrainian land and children, calling for concrete action towards providing air defense. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak stated that calls for an "immediate ceasefire" by Hungary and China only pushes further Russian aggression by spreading a "false feeling" that "the aggressor has the right to kill because he speaks of ‘peace’, and the victim should not defend himself".[29] The attacks happened just before a NATO summit in Washington was planned to be held, with Ukraine participating.[8]

Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin reported sending all information about the attacks to the International Criminal Court.[29]

On her Wimbledon Championships match against Wang Xinyu on 8 July, tennis player Elina Svitolina wore a black ribbon on her sporting gear in memory of the victims of the strikes.[30]

Russia

On 8 July the Russian defence ministry stated that "in response to attempts by the Kyiv regime to damage Russian energy and economic facilities", Russian forces had carried out strikes on defence industry targets and aviation bases in Ukraine,[31] claiming that damage to civilian infrastructure was done by a falling Ukrainian air defense missile launched from within the city.[32] The ministry claimed it had achieved its objectives and struck all designated targets.[31]

United Nations

Denise Brown, UN aid coordinator in Ukraine, condemned the attack and called for civilians to be protected. Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF representative, said that the Russian invasion "continues impacting children disproportionately".[33] Amnesty International condemned the attack and placed the blame on Russia, calling its attempt to blame Ukraine for the attack "a callous audacity".[34] The United Nations Security Council planned an ad hoc meeting on 9 July in response to the civilian attacks after being requested to by France, Britain, Slovenia, Ecuador, and the United States.[29]UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission declared "high likelihood" of "direct hit" by Russian missile rather than debris.[25]

Other countries

The French Foreign Ministry referred to the attacks as "barbaric", specifically citing deliberate attacks on a children's hospital as "added to the list of war crimes" Russia propagated during the war. Foreign Minister of Italy Antonio Tajani condemned the attacks and asserted the Italian government's commitment to defending Ukraine's sovereignty. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Poland could shoot down Russian missiles headed for NATO territory with joint NATO agreement and cooperation.[29]

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach announced that Germany is ready to provide medical assistance to Ukrainian children affected by the missile attack on the Okhmatdyt children's hospital.[35]

US President Joe Biden referred to the attacks as "a horrific reminder of Russia's brutality" and called on the international community to stand with Ukraine and to not disregard Russian acts of aggression. He also stated that his government and NATO would announce more programs to grant aid and support to Ukraine, including increasing their air defense capabilities.[36]

See also

References

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  2. ^ Olena Harmash; Max Hunder (9 July 2024). "Russian missile attacks kill at least 41, hit children's hospital, Ukraine says". Reuters. Retrieved 9 July 2024. More than 170 were injured.
  3. ^ a b c Fenbert, Abbey; Fornusek, Martin (10 July 2024). "Updated: Emergency workers end rescue operations in Kyiv after mass missile strike". The Kyiv Independent.
  4. ^ a b "В детской больнице повреждены операционные и отделение онкологии. В жилом доме разрушен целый подъезд". Meduza. 8 July 2024. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Пошкоджена дитяча лікарня "Охматдит" у Києві. Росія масовано обстріляла Україну ракетами, загиблих щонайменше - 30". BBC News Україна (in Ukrainian). 8 July 2024. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
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  9. ^ Sean Seddon (9 July 2024). "Ukraine mourns after day of Russian air strikes". BBC News. Retrieved 9 July 2024. A day of mourning is being observed in Ukraine after one of the worst waves of Russian missile strikes in months, with at least 41 people killed and 166 injured.
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  22. ^ ""Фото и видео однозначно подтверждают факт разрушений вследствие падения украинской ракеты ПВО". Минобороны РФ — о ракетном ударе по Киеву". Meduza. 8 July 2024.
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