At least 43 hospitals were attacked in Ukraine, WHO confirms

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed, this Thursday (17), the attack on 43 hospitals in Ukraine, acts that caused 12 deaths and dozens of injuries, including health professionals. The information was disclosed by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to the UN Security Council on Thursday.

“In any conflict, attacks on health are a violation of international humanitarian law,” Tedros told the 15-member council, without specifying who was to blame for the attacks.

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield condemned the act and was harsh in her criticism of Russia.

” There were 43 hospitals attacked by Russia. Reporters on the ground show mass graves in Mariupol, narrow graves with children’s bodies. Yesterday a powerful bomb hit a theater where hundreds of civilians were sheltering, the word child was written in large letters that could be seen clearly from the sky, even so the Russians attacked”, said the ambassador.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield reiterated President Joe Biden’s line that “Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia.”

“Russia’s actions must be condemned. As Biden said, Ukraine will never be a victory for Putin, whatever he achieves, Ukraine will never be a victory.”

She stated that Russia will be held responsible for these atrocities; and said there is a way to end this: “President Putin stop killing, withdraw your forces, get out of Ukraine”.

“Russia violated international law, violating Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia’s brutal tactics killed civilians, paramedics and journalists who were showing the truth about this war. Russia attacked everything that is sacred to us and everything that the UN stands for”, added the ambassador.