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At a time when markets are “discounting” a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian crisis and all eyes are on tomorrow's meeting, on Turkish soil, between the Russian and Ukrainian Foreign Ministers, the Russian attack, earlier today, on a maternity hospital in Mariupol – resulting in injuries 17 people, including pregnant women – trigger a new tension between Kyiv and Moscow.
In a statement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented that “before the maternity hospital was bombed, “The nationalists had evacuated it from staff and hospitalized and taken up battle positions,” he said, explaining that this was the reason for the targeted bombing by the Russians.
Russian MFA spokeswoman Zakharova said Ukrainian & # 8220; national battalions & # 8221; had expelled staff and patients from the Mariupol’s maternity hospital and set up firing positions there. This was a few hours before the Russian airstrike and as we saw there were no «national battalions» pic.twitter.com/e5c9Z4oKHb
– Oleh Novikov 🇺🇦 (@olehbatkovych) March 9, 2022
However, images from the attack showed injured pregnant women being transported on stretchers outside the building immediately after the attack, and there appeared to be no trace of the celestial battalions, which Zakharova invoked to justify the fact that the Russians targeted the maternity hospital.
Aftermath of Russian bombardment of a children's hospital in #Mariupol, #Donetsk region, east #Ukraine.
Putin's #Russia is conducting a genocide.
pic.twitter.com/crXrv9n3oW
– Alex Kokcharov (@AlexKokcharov) March 9, 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky himself uploaded a video after the attack, wondering how long the world would ignore Russian terrorism and calling for the closure of Ukrainian airspace.
Mariupol. Direct strike of Russian troops at the maternity hospital. People, children are under the wreckage. Atrocity! How much longer will the world be an accomplice ignoring terror? Close the sky right now! Stop the killings! You have power but you seem to be losing humanity. pic.twitter.com/FoaNdbKH5k
– Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 9, 2022
His anger was also expressed by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, who wrote that few things are more perverted than targeting vulnerable people. The White House took a similar position.
There are few things more depraved than targeting the vulnerable and defenceless.
The UK is exploring more support for Ukraine to defend against airstrikes and we will hold Putin to account for his terrible crimes. #PutinMustFail https://t.co/JBuvB78HVC
– Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) March 9, 2022
The air strike at the Mariupol maternity hospital, the facade of the building was almost completely destroyed, with police and soldiers rushing to evacuate the crowd.
In the footage released by the Ukrainian side, it seems, among other things, that a pregnant woman is being removed from the rubble.
In any case, despite the hopes for a diplomatic relief of the crisis, the Russian siege continues. Kyiv is being hit, but the Ukrainian defense seems to have organized and is waiting for a possible invasion, at a time when the bombings have caused casualties and losses in dozens of Ukrainian areas.
In fact, according to the British Ministry of Defense, the Russians have admitted the use of thermobaric bombs, which are prohibited to be used when there is a risk of hitting civilians.
The Russian MoD has confirmed the use of the TOS-1A weapon system in Ukraine. The TOS-1A uses thermobaric rockets, creating incendiary and blast effects.
Watch the video below for more information about this weapon and its devastating impact.
Stand # StandWithUkraine🇺🇦 pic .twitter.com/d8PLQ0PhQD
– Ministry of Defense 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) March 9, 2022
Source: protothema.gr
Russia admits use of thermobaric weapons in Ukraine
Zelenski: Children in the wreckage of the children's hospital & # 8211; “Stop the killings” (video)
