"Airstrikes on Hospital Full of Children and Mothers Turn Mariupol into Living Hell Amid Russian Attack"

Power and Water Cut Off for Over a Week... "1,170 Civilians Dead"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol is enduring a humanitarian crisis so severe that it is being described as a 'living hell,' as it faces Russian airstrikes, power and water outages lasting over a week, and bombings of hospitals filled with children and mothers. Russia has repeatedly emphasized that it does not target civilians, but the ongoing damage has led to criticism labeling it a 'genocide.'

According to the Associated Press and others on the 9th (local time), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in a statement that a pediatric and maternity hospital in Mariupol was bombed by Russian forces. He strongly condemned the incident as a "cruel act," saying, "This tragedy is at a severe level, with children and people trapped under the rubble."

Ukrainian authorities have so far reported no deaths from the bombing but confirmed 17 injuries. The airstrike partially collapsed the hospital building, with metal fragments scattered around as if from medical equipment debris. Foreign media reported scenes of local military authorities evacuating pregnant women hospitalized there and women crying while holding children. One major foreign news outlet described it as "the most horrific incident during the past 14 days of airstrikes."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The bombing of medical facilities targeting civilians has drawn widespread international condemnation. Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary, said at a briefing that "using military force against innocent civilians of a sovereign nation is barbaric behavior." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned it, stating, "There is nothing more depraved than attacking defenseless vulnerable groups."

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, emphasized, "Bombing hospitals is unacceptable," adding, "No reason or motive can justify it." He pointed out, "This attack aimed to destroy Ukrainian military facilities to guarantee Russia's security, and the attack on a hospital with children is unrelated to that."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Mariupol has been surrounded by Russian forces, enduring airstrikes for over a week. Power, heating, water, and communications have all been cut off, and shortages of food and medicine are ongoing. The Guardian daily reported that bodies are piled up on the streets, starving civilians are entering stores to take remaining food or melting snow for drinking water, and thousands are hiding in basements.

Serhiy Orlov, Deputy Mayor of Mariupol, stated that at least 1,170 civilians have died since the Russian invasion, with about 40 bodies buried on that day. He criticized it as a "complete genocide and war crime." Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted, "Russian forces are holding 400,000 people hostage, blocking humanitarian aid and evacuations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.