Authorities in Mariupol on Thursday said that at least three people were killed and 17 others injured after a maternity and children's hospital in the besieged Ukrainian city was hit by a Russian strike the previous day.
In a social media post, the Mariupol City Council said the victims included one girl child, while doctors and women were among the injured. Russian troops are purposefully and ruthlessly destroying the civilian population of Mariupol. The whole world should know about Russia's crime against humanity, against Ukraine and against the people of Mariupol, the post added.
Sergei Orlov, the Deputy Mayor of Mariupol, told the BBC that he was absolutely sure they (Russians) know about this facility and this is their third hospital that they are destroying in this city.
He added that a 300-bed hospital dedicated to treating Covid patients had been destroyed by artillery shelling on Tuesday, along with a blood-collection centre in Mariupol.