[imagesource: Evgeniy Maloletka]

As somebody said on Twitter yesterday, there are war crimes and then there are WAR CRIMES.

Every day, we see further evidence of the atrocities Russian troops are committing in Ukraine.

Yesterday’s attack in the southern city of Mariupol included a strike on a hospital maternity ward. Perhaps this is the tipping point and we will see further military power from abroad provided to Ukrainian forces.

The New York Times reports:

The Ukrainian government blamed Russia for the hospital strike, and witnesses and a local news outlet claimed that it had been caused by bombs dropped by Russian warplanes.

The strike sprayed shrapnel and blew out the windows of several buildings at City Hospital No. 3, the videos showed. One crater in a courtyard between the buildings appeared to be more than 10 feet deep.

Witnesses and open source information from Wikimapia identified the buildings as a children’s clinic, an ophthalmology department and a maternity ward.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy didn’t mince his words, calling the attack a war crime.

In an emotional plea on social media, he begged for more assistance:

Mariupol. Direct strike of Russian troops at the maternity hospital. People, children are under the wreckage. Atrocity! How much longer will the world be an accomplice ignoring terror? Close the sky right now! Stop the killings! You have power but you seem to be losing humanity. pic.twitter.com/FoaNdbKH5k

— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 9, 2022

According to the governor of the Donetsk region, the airstrike happened during an agreed ceasefire period meant to allow civilians to safely escape the area.

He said 17 people, including women in labour, were wounded in the attack.

Earlier this morning, Sergei Orlov, deputy mayor of Mariupol, said three people – including one child – were killed.

Multiple videos filmed outside the hospital show scenes of devastation and desperation:

⚡️ Russian airstrike destroys maternity, children’s hospital in Mariupol.

According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, there are still adults and kids under the rubble. The number of victims is yet unknown, local authorities report.

Video: Mariupol City Council pic.twitter.com/dBGWRzEQrw

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 9, 2022

Injured mothers were evacuated on makeshift stretchers, while soldiers cared for children, after Ukrainian officials say a Russian attack destroyed both a children’s hospital and maternity ward. pic.twitter.com/qARLrfU6B3

— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 9, 2022

Horrifying attack on Mariupol. Children’s hospital and maternity hospital targeted by Russian strikes. Many losses. The city is completely surrounded. There’s no electricity, water and gas. Russia refuses to provide green corridor. City is facing humanitarian catastrophe. pic.twitter.com/YwhvABuVVZ

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) March 9, 2022

More from the BBC:

Mariupol has been surrounded by Russian forces for several days, and repeated attempts at a ceasefire to allow civilians to leave have broken down.

“The whole city remains without electricity, water, food, whatever and people are dying because of dehydration,” Olena Stokoz of Ukraine’s Red Cross told the BBC, adding that her organisation would continue trying to organise an evacuation corridor.

Deputy Mayor Orlov said at least 1,170 civilians had been killed in the city since Russia began its bombardment, and that 47 people there were buried in a mass grave on Wednesday, although those figures have not been independently verified.

Appearing late last night to deliver an address, President Zelenskyy was close to tears as he spoke about the attack:

ZELENSKY: “Were pregnant women going to fire at Rostov? Did someone in the maternity hospital abuse Russian speakers? Was it the de-Nazification of the hospital? — It’s beyond atrocities already.” 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/2niLzniYQA

— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) March 10, 2022

An exact civilian death toll from the invasion remains difficult to pin down. Yesterday, the UN said it had recorded 516 civilian deaths, including 37 children, but added that “the real figures are considerably higher”.

[sources:nytimes&bbc]