Pope deeply shocked by attacks on Ukrainian children's hospital

The Holy See reacted to Monday's Russian attacks on medical facilities, including the largest children's hospital in Ukraine. - The Pope expresses his deep shock at the escalation of violence - reads the Vatican's statement.

"The Holy Father received with great pain the information about the attacks on two medical facilities in Kyiv, including the largest children's hospital in Ukraine (the Okhmatdyt Hospital)" - reads the statement issued by the Vatican. The Holy See emphasized that Pope Francis prays for the victims of the attacks in Ukraine, as well as for those killed and injured in Saturday's bombing of a school in the Gaza Strip.

The Pope expresses his deep shock at the escalation of violence. Expressing sympathy for the innocent victims and the injured, he hopes and prays for a practical way to end the ongoing conflicts — the Vatican press release stated.

It is worth noting that the Holy See in its latest communiqué does not mention either Russia, which is behind the attack on Ukrainian medical facilities, or Israel, which is responsible for the bombings in the Gaza Strip. This is not the first time that the Holy See has not identified the aggressor and condemned the bloodshed. Such an approach has repeatedly drawn sharp criticism of Pope Francis.

Monday brought a massive attack on Ukrainian cities. The Russians shelled two medical facilities in Kyiv. One of them was the Okhmatdyt children's hospital. Two people were killed, and 10 were injured. At the time of the attack, there were a total of 630 children in the facility. An evacuation was necessary. Some of them were transported to other facilities within Ukraine.

The attack also damaged the health centre in the Dniprovskyi district. According to the Polish Press Agency, seven people, including three children, were killed there. 18 people were injured. The latest data indicates that a total of 40 people were killed, and 190 were injured in Monday's massive attack on Ukraine.