Pregnant mum and unborn baby die after Russian airstrike hits Ukraine maternity hospital in Mariupol

The woman stretchered from the hospital screamed “kill me” as she realised her baby was gone, before she sadly died herself
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A pregnant woman and her unborn baby died after a Russian airstrike hit a maternity hospital in Ukraine.

The bleeding woman was seen being carried on a stretcher past the burning building and mangled cars.

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Medics delivered the baby through a cesarean section, but it showed “no signs of life” the surgeon said.

The doctors battled to save the mother’s life performing more than 30 minutes of resuscitation, but she passed away.

An image taken from video issued by Mariupol City Council shows the aftermath of Mariupol Hospital after an attack.An image taken from video issued by Mariupol City Council shows the aftermath of Mariupol Hospital after an attack.
An image taken from video issued by Mariupol City Council shows the aftermath of Mariupol Hospital after an attack.

The woman screamed "kill me, kill me" when she found her baby was lost

The pregnant woman was stretchered from the maternity hospital in Mariupol across to another hospital, even closer to the front line, after it had been hit by a Russian airstrike on Wednesday 9 March.

Doctors battled to keep her alive as she cried out “Kill me now!” when she realised she was losing her baby.

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Surgeon Timur Marin found the woman’s pelvis crushed and hip detached.

Dr Marin said: “More than 30 minutes of resuscitation of the mother didn’t produce results.

“Both died."

Medics didn’t have time to get the woman’s name before her husband and father came to take away her body amid the chaos of the airstrike.

At least someone came to retrieve her so she didn’t end up in the mass graves being dug for many of Mariupol’s growing number of dead, said the doctors.

At least three people were killed - including a child - in a Russian air strike on a children’s hospital and maternity ward in Mariupol (Mariupol City Council)At least three people were killed - including a child - in a Russian air strike on a children’s hospital and maternity ward in Mariupol (Mariupol City Council)
At least three people were killed - including a child - in a Russian air strike on a children’s hospital and maternity ward in Mariupol (Mariupol City Council)

What happened during the airstrike on the hospital?

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The explosion at the hospital was so powerful that the ground shook more than a mile away from the blast.

Pictures show an enormous crater left by the shelling with blown-out windows and the front of the three-storey building destroyed.

Horror footage showed the remains of the hospital with wounded staff and patients being rushed out of the building.

A wounded mum-to-be was led out of the wrecked unit and pictured wrapped in a duvet to keep warm in the freezing temperatures.

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The airstrike was carried out during an agreed ceasefire period that was meant to allow the safe evacuation of civilians from the besieged southern city, said regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko.

Following the shelling of Mariupol, harrowing pictures emerged of corpses being put in body bags and dumped in mass graves.

Workers could be seen digging a 25 yard trench at one of the old cemeteries in the besieged port city.

The corpses were wrapped in carpets or bags.

How many people died in the attack?

Three people were killed including a six-year-old child.

Three people were killed and 17 were injured in the attack, Mariupol city government said on a Telegram.

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The statement said: "The Russian occupying forces have dropped several bombs on the children’s hospital.

“The destruction is colossal."

The child killed in the hospital strike was confirmed by Mariupol’s deputy mayor Sergei Orlov to be a six-year-old girl.

What was said about the attack?

Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, branded the attack as an act of “genocide” and said women waiting to give birth were wounded in the strike, while children were buried in the rubble.

He said: "Direct strike of Russian troops at the maternity hospital.

“People, children are under the wreckage. Atrocity!”

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He added: "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."

"Europeans, you can’t say you didn’t see what is happening. You have to tighten the sanctions until Russia can’t continue their savage war," Zelensky said.

He continued: "What kind of country bombs hospitals? Is afraid of hospitals? Of a maternity ward?"

At the time, Boris Johnson slammed the "depraved" airstrike in Mariupol.

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The prime minister said: "There are few things more depraved than targeting the vulnerable and defenceless.

“The UK is exploring more support for Ukraine to defend against airstrikes and we will hold Putin to account for his terrible crimes."

He added: "Russia continues holding hostage over 400,000 people in Mariupol, blocks humanitarian aid and evacuation. Indiscriminate shelling continues.

"Almost 3,000 newborn babies lack medicine and food."

Support people fleeing the devastating conflict in Ukraine: donate to the DEC appeal

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Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) charities and their local partners are in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries providing food, water, shelter and medical assistance. Learn more and donate what you can today

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