Overnight, Russian forces shelled the maternity ward of a local hospital in Vilniansk, Zaporizhzhia region. According to Zaporizhzhia Governor Oleksandr Starukh, an infant was killed.
“Grief overwhelms our hearts – an infant who had just been born into the white light was killed,” Starukh said in a statement.
Ukraine’s ministry of Emergency Situations clarified that there were three people in the maternity ward at the time of the shelling: a doctor, the newborn’s mother, and the newborn. Rescuers were able to pull the mother and the doctor out from the rubble alive.
Work at the scene is still ongoing.
During the war, it is difficult to promptly verify official statements.
Over the past week, Vilniansk, which is located in the Ukrainian-controlled part of Zaporizhzhia region, has come under fire at least twice. In strikes on November 17, one of the missiles destroyed a two-story apartment building. According to the latest reports, 10 people were killed, including three children.