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Comment by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on the Anniversary of the Russian Missile Strike on the "Okhmatdyt" Children's Hospital

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

08 July 2025 18:10

On July 8, 2024, the Russian Federation carried out one of its most horrific missile strikes against civilians by deliberately targeting the "Okhmatdyt" National Children's Specialized Hospital in Kyiv - the largest pediatric medical facility in Ukraine.

A Russian Kh-101 cruise missile struck the hospital's toxicology department, where children were undergoing hemodialysis at the time. A total of 627 young patients were inside the hospital during the attack. Two medical workers were killed, and at least eight children were injured. Medical staff and parents were forced to evacuate oncology patients to the street, where emergency care was provided outdoors, on benches.

This atrocity became a horrifying illustration of Russia's tactic of committing barbarities against the most vulnerable - children. It constitutes a war crime and a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, running counter to the principles of international cooperation in the fields of healthcare and nuclear safety.

It is important to highlight that Okhmatdyt is a recipient of technical assistance from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), aimed at advancing radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, and improving diagnostics for childhood cancers.

At Ukraine's initiative, an extraordinary meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors was convened on July 12, 2024. As a result, the Board adopted a special resolution strongly condemning the missile strike on Okhmatdyt, reaffirming the importance of continued implementation of the Agency's technical cooperation programmes in Ukraine, and urging Member States to support medical institutions affected by the aggression.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine highly values the display of international solidarity and the principled stance of IAEA Member States.

Those responsible for this and other heinous Russian atrocities must be held accountable. The world must not turn a blind eye. Russia must answer for Okhmatdyt - not only before Ukraine, but before every child who has fallen victim to its crimes.

Ukraine will continue its consistent efforts on international platforms - including within the IAEA, the United Nations, the UN Security Council, and the International Criminal Court - to ensure that accountability for this and other Russian crimes is inevitable.