Russia conducted a significant daytime missile assault on Monday, July 8,  across several Ukrainian cities, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 people and devastating a vital children's hospital in Kyiv, according to officials.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reported that Russian forces fired over 40 missiles, targeting various cities and causing widespread damage to infrastructure, as well as to commercial and residential buildings across Ukraine.

In Kyiv, city authorities confirmed seven fatalities and at least 25 injuries from the strike. Meanwhile, in Kryviy Rih, the hometown of President Zelenskiy, Mayor Oleksandr Vilkul reported 10 deaths and 31 injuries.

Three additional casualties were reported in Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, where missiles struck an industrial facility, according to the Donetsk regional governor.

Zelenskiy issued a statement via the Telegram messaging app, asserting, "All services are engaged in efforts to save as many lives as possible. It is imperative that the international community mobilizes its full determination to put an end to these Russian attacks."

Despite these reports, Russia has consistently denied targeting civilians in its military operations.

The intensified assault on Ukraine coincided with an unexpected meeting between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Chinese President Xi Jinping, discussing potential peace negotiations for Ukraine.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the attack on the capital as one of the most severe since Russia's invasion began in February 2022. He noted that the main children's hospital in the city sustained significant damage, with shattered windows and damaged infrastructure.

Residents described scenes of chaos and devastation following the strikes. Svitlaka Kravchenko, 33, recounted her harrowing experience to Reuters, explaining how she and her husband Viktor emerged from a shelter to find their two-month-old baby unharmed but herself injured amidst debris. Their car was buried under rubble from a nearby destroyed building.

Local and regional authorities confirmed extensive damage to industrial facilities, infrastructure, and residential and commercial buildings across cities including Kyiv, Kryviy Rih, Dnipro, Pokrovsk, and Kramatarosk.

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