UPD: 33 Killed, 121 Injured, 11 Rescued in July 8th Russian Missile Barrage on Kyiv

Russia Unleashed Waves of Ballistic & Cruise Missiles on Several Districts in the Ukrainian Capital and the "Okhmatdyt" National Children's Hospital

Brendan Kelley

Jul 09, 2024

Image: DSNS

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10am, July 8th, 2024, Kyiv:

Video: Труха⚡️Україна

"This morning proved once again that Russia is a country of terrorists and freaks," wrote Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko, on his Telegram channel. "Dozens of missiles on cities during rush hour. A strike on the country's largest children's hospital" (Ihor Klymenko). In an early morning update, the AFU Strategic Command concluded that "In total, according to preliminary data, Russian war criminals released 38 missiles of various types: 1 Kh-47M2 "Kinzhal" aeroballistic missile; 4 "Iskander-M" ballistic missiles; 1 cruise missile 3M22 "Zirkon"; 13 Kh-101 cruise missiles; 14 Kalibr cruise missiles; 2 Kh-22 cruise missiles; 3 Kh-59/Kh-69 guided air missiles" (AFU StratCom).

Video: Volodymyr Zelenskiy

The primary targets and victims of the strikes in Kyiv today was the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv and a maternity clinic in Dniprovskyi district. The hospital is the largest of its kind in Ukraine and provides life-saving operations daily for Ukraine’s most vulnerable children. The strike occurred during the morning while the campus of the hospital was fully active. Hundreds of patients and staff were present in the building or on the campus when the strikes occurred according to Serhii Popko, the Head of the Kyiv City Military Administration. Popko wrote on Telegram on June 9th, “At the time of the attack, 627 children were in the hospital. 8 of them were injured. Unfortunately, 2 adults died” (Serhii Popko). AFU Strategic Command stated, "One of the most important children's hospitals not only in Ukraine but also in Europe. ‘Okhmatdyt has saved and restored health to thousands of children.’ Now the hospital has been damaged by a Russian strike, and people are trapped in the rubble, with the exact number of injured and dead unknown. Now everyone is helping to clear the rubble: doctors and ordinary people" (AFU StratCom).

Critical one-of-a-kind medical infrastructure and equipment was damaged or destroyed as a result of the detonation of a nearly 1000lb Russian warhead from a Kh-101 cruise missile. Popko noted on Telegram, “The toxicology building with the department of chronic and acute intoxications, where children undergo dialysis, was completely destroyed. Most of the other cases have significant damage. The surgical, oncological, somatic departments, the intensive care, radiology and radiation therapy departments, the operating unit, two intensive care units and the country's only oncology and hematology laboratory were affected (Serhii Popko).

Victims are trapped throughout the damaged structure, but specifically, the basement of the structure could have been housing those sheltering from the air raid prior to impact. The populace of Kyiv banded together and made efforts to remove the debris and rubble with their own hands or by assisting the efforts of rescue workers. One pediatric doctor is confirmed to have been killed in the strike.

Ballistic & Cruise Missile Strikes Across Kyiv

Video: Труха⚡️Україна

Not only was “Okhmatdyt” National Children's Hospital struck, but several other districts throughout Kyiv were targeted this morning around 10am. The DSNS took note of damage to infrastructure and private property all across Kyiv detailing in their morning report that "The fall of debris was recorded in Desnianskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, Holosiivskyi, Dniprovskyi, Solomianskyi, Darnytskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts of the city. In the Solomianskyi district, two floors of the Business Center were damaged as a result of the rocket debris. Destruction on the area of 1500 square meters. 1 killed, 2 injured, fire on the area of 50 square meters. Darnytskyi district: A fragment hit a private residential building. A woman was injured in the arm. Desnianskyi district: a house is on fire. Holosiivskyi district: garages were damaged, cars are burning” (State Emergency Service).

Image: DSNS

A second round of various ballistic and cruise missiles struck Kyiv yet again during July 8th. The Ukrainian DSNS reported, "Russia launched another missile attack on Kyiv, targeting the Dniprovskyi district. The attack caused partial destruction of a medical center building. Four people were killed and three were injured" (State Emergency Service). The medical building struck by the Russian missile was a maternity clinic in the Dniprovskyi district located across the Brovarskyi Ave. bridge and the Ostriv Malyi Hydropark (UA Map).

Serhiy Popko, the Head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, too, offered a description of the consequences and devastation of the strikes on the other districts of Kyiv. According to Popko, in Shevchenkivskyi district, "One entrance of a multi-story residential building was completely destroyed, the rest was damaged. Seven people were killed (including 3 children), 18 were injured, 7 people were rescued. Work is underway to dismantle the rubble and search for people. An industrial facility was damaged. Two people were killed and 3 were injured. Work is underway to dismantle the rubble."

While in Holosiivskyi district, he mentioned that "The ‘Domino’ business center was damaged, destruction on two floors, with a total area of 1500 sq. m., a fire broke out, which was extinguished. Seven people were killed and 9 were injured. Work is completed. Partial destruction of a 5-story residential building, two fires broke out, 10 sq. m. each, the roof was damaged. 22 people were injured. A preschool was damaged. Garages were damaged, 10 cars caught fire."

In Dniprovskyi, there was "partial destruction of a 4-story medical center building. Nine people were killed and 5 were injured. Work is completed."

In Darnytskyi district, "a private house was damaged. One person was injured."

In Desnianskyi district, "a fire in a two-story private house, it was extinguished."

Finally Popko said that in Sviatoshynskyi district there was “a fire in an industrial building. The fire was extinguished over an area of 40 sq. m. Private houses and the building of the Vocational Economic College were damaged. Five people were injured" (Serhiy Popko).

As of the morning of July 10th, “a total of 129 buildings of all forms of ownership were damaged” (Serhii Popko).

Video: Труха⚡️Україна

Search & Rescue Operations Underway As Casualties Mount

The State Emergency Services, DSNS, gave updates on rescue efforts underway as well as a casualty update detailing the gravity of the developing situation as evening approached: "As of 4:30 p.m. , the liquidation of the consequences of today's attack is still ongoing in three districts of Kyiv - Dniprovskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, and Solomianskyi. As a result of the enemy attack on the capital, 21 people died, 65 were injured, and 7 people were rescued. 372 rescuers and 69 units of basic and special fire-rescue equipment were involved at the scene” (State Emergency Service).

Image: DSNS

By evening, Ukrainian DSNS further reported casualties from the strike on Telegram, "UPD: A total of 22 people died in Kyiv, 72 were injured" (State Emergency Service).

Of course, Kyiv was not the only target in Russia’s vile attacks against civilian and medical infrastructure - the major cities in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in Central Ukraine, Dnipro & Kryvyi Rih, were both struck by missiles and those scenes also remain developing with mounting casualties. A final casualty toll for the day was released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs stating, "A total of 33 people were killed: 22 in Kyiv, 11 in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. 140 people were injured: 74 in Kyiv, 2 in Kyiv Oblast, 64 in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. 19 people were rescued: 11 in Kyiv, 8 in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast" (Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine).

Image: State Emergency Service

On July 9th, Ukrainian DSNS offered further comment on the increase in casualties and the non-stop work of rescue workers and average civilians to recover victims and clear debris. They stated, “Operational information as of the morning of July 9! A boy's body was found during the night clearing of debris in the Shevchenkivskyi district of the city. As a result of yesterday's enemy attack on Kyiv, 27 people died, including 4 children, 117 were injured, 7 people were rescued. The liquidation of the consequences is still ongoing at 3 locations. 377 rescuers and 76 units of emergency services were involved at the scene” (State Emergency Service).

On July 10th, the Kyiv City Military Administration offered final casualty figures on Telegram: “After conducting additional examinations, the number of people killed by a rocket attack on 07/08/2024 was clarified. In Kyiv, 33 people died” (Serhii Popko).

At 1:00am of July 10th, Popko offered a look at the developments regarding the difficult situation in which the patients of Okhmatdyt have to endure due to the terrorist missile attacks launched by Russia. He said, “As of the morning of July 10, 2024, 38 victims who were injured as a result of an enemy rocket attack on July 8 remain hospitalized . 6 of them are in serious condition . In addition, 6 children from the Okhmatdyt Hospital, who were injured by a Russian rocket two days ago, are in the children's hospitals of the city. In general, 100 young patients of Okhmatdyt are receiving inpatient treatment in other medical institutions of Kyiv and the region” (Serhii Popko).

By midday of July 10th, the Ukrainian DSNS offered their most recent update on casualties & rescues from the strikes: “as a result of enemy fire on July 8, 33 people died in the capital, including 5 children. Also, 121 people were injured, including 10 children. 11 people were rescued” (State Emergency Service).

War Crimes & Forensic Ballistics Investigations Underway

Images: Security Service of Ukraine

The Ukrainian SBU investigators reported on findings from forensic investigations and stated that they "established that the Russian Federation hit Okhmatdyt with an Kh-101 missile. The SBU qualified the Russian attack on the National Children's Specialized Hospital "Okhmatdyt" as a war crime and opened criminal proceedings based on this fact. According to preliminary data from the investigators of the Security Service, the occupiers used a strategic cruise missile Kh-101 to destroy the medical facility. Relevant evidence has already been found at the scene of the tragedy: in particular, fragments of the hull of the rear part of the Kh-101 missile with a serial number and part of the rudder of the same missile" (Security Service of Ukraine).

Ukraine Emerges United & Enraged - Soldiers Vow Revenge

Image: NDSL Okhmatdyt

Ukrainians universally expressed collective rage and vowed revenge on the battlefield and in the international criminal courtroom for the perpetrators of today's criminal strikes against civilians. The Head of Ukraine's SBU, Vasyl Malyuk, stated, "The security service will do everything possible to ensure that the enemy feels the maximum retribution for each of his war crimes, including today's attack on Ukraine. This retribution will be both legal and moral. A terrorist state is not an abstract concept. There are specific names of the killers. And nothing will save them from justice" (Security Service of Ukraine).

Echoing this sentiment, Malyuk was joined by Commander of the Air Force, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleschuk. He stated on the AFU Strategic Command Telegram that "The world must react strongly to this crime. And there should be no discussion about whether it is possible to attack military facilities on the territory of Russia. We will take revenge for every Ukrainian" (AFU StratCom).

Image: Ihor Klymenko

Ihor Klymenko commented on the strikes on the region of his administration and emphasized the anger of the Ukrainian populace writing, "Today, the country felt not fear, but even more rage and hatred. There will be an answer for the terror against civilians and children" (Ihor Klymenko).

Brigades from Ukraine's ZSU offered their condolences, but vowed revenge in the trenches, as evidenced by the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade's official comment on Telegram: "The war does not stop. The answer to the war crimes of Russia, which is hitting children and hospitals, can only be the merciless destruction of the occupiers at the front. There will be revenge. The terrorist state will stop only when it is destroyed" (3rd Separate Assault Brigade). Ukrainian military units say they are motivated to make Russia pay on the battlefield for what Russia continues to do to Ukraine’s innocent and most vulnerable non-combatants.

Clear evidence of revenge for the Okhmatdyt strikes became clear as the 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade posted photos on Telegram of FPV drones and their munitions bearing the inscription: “For Okhmatdyt” (63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade).