At least, one has died with dozen others wounded after an apartment block in northern Kyiv was hit by what is believed to be artillery shelling (weapons such as bows, slings and catapults) by Russian forces who are edging closer to the heart of Ukraine’s capital.
A statement by the Emergency Service in Kyiv’s Obolon District noted that “As of 7:40 am (05:40 GMT) the body of one person was found dead in a nine-storey apartment building”. It also added that at least three people have been hospitalized and nine others received treatment at the scene.
Reports suggest that the attack destroyed apartments on several floors, damaging both the front and back sides of the residential structure. Again, on one blackened balcony, two men could be seen throwing out destroyed furniture and debris. One of them planted a small Ukrainian flag on the ledge of the balcony.
A reporter, Imran Khan, at the scene reported that “You can still smell the burning,” and also claimed rescuers were still combing through the building to see if there were more bodies inside.
“Throughout the day, we have seen people come back here in tears, just looking at the building and their homes that have been completely destroyed. It’s a residential area. There’s a football pitch [very close to the building], there’s no military target anywhere here.”
A reporter, Imran Khan
According to the United Nations, at least 596 civilians have died since Russia’s invasion began on Thursday, February 24, 2022, but it believes the real toll is considerably higher since it has not yet been able to corroborate reports from areas where intense hostilities are ongoing.
Russia has however denied targeting civilians, describing its actions as a “special operation” to demilitarise and “de-Nazify” Ukraine. But Ukraine and Western allies have called this a baseless pretext for a war of choice.
Separately on Monday, March 14, 2022, city officials in Kyiv said at least two people were killed when an Antonov aircraft factory in the capital and a nearby residential building were targeted by Russian shelling.
Russian forces “shelled a residential building and the Antonov factory … According to a preliminary toll, two people are dead and seven wounded,” city hall noted in a message on its Telegram account. But the statement could not be independently verified.
Fresh Talks on Monday, March 14, 2022
The alleged attacks came as Ukrainian and Russian officials were set to hold the fourth round of talks.
One of the Ukrainian negotiators, Mykhailo Podolyak, in a video statement of Twitter, averred the virtual meeting would focus on achieving a ceasefire, troop withdrawals and security guarantees for Ukraine.
“Peace, an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of all Russians troops, and only after this can we talk about regional relations and about political differences.”
Ukrainian negotiator, Mykhailo Podolyak
Meanwhile, while at the negotiation tables, Russian forces have maintained their pressure on the Ukrainian capital as fighting continued in the nearby towns of Iprin, Bucha and Hostomel.
In the southern port city of Mariupol, Russian troops are also pushing closer to the city, where officials have said nearly 2,200 people have been killed.
Pregnant woman and baby die after hospital shelled
A report by city authorities disclosed that a pregnant woman wounded in the bombing of a maternity hospital in Mariupol has died along with her baby.
An image on social media showed her on a stretcher following the airstrike in Mariupol in which at least three other people were killed in the process. After the place where she was meant to give birth was attacked, she was taken to another hospital. Her baby was born by Caesarean section but showed no signs of life.
The surgeon, Timur Marin, told a news agency that the woman’s pelvis had been crushed and her hip detached.
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