Ukrainian Greek Archbishop Condemns ‘Horrifying’ Attack on Children’s Hospital

By Daniel Payne

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, has condemned a devastating alleged Russian attack on a children’s hospital in Kyiv. A press release on the UGCC’s website reported that Russian forces launched a massive missile attack on Monday, hitting the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital and a private maternity hospital in the capital.

In a video accompanying the release, Archbishop Shevchuk described the attack as “a sin that cries to heaven for vengeance.” He expressed his horror at the tragedy, stating, “It is horrifying to see that the children who came to save their lives in the artificial kidney center were ruthlessly killed by Russian criminals.”

The Russian government has denied responsibility for the attack. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed that the Russian military does not target civilian structures, suggesting instead that the strike was caused by a falling anti-missile system used by Ukraine.

The archbishop detailed the dire situation within the hospital, noting that many children were in critical condition or undergoing surgery when the attack occurred. “In the name of God, with all our resolve, we condemn this crime against humanity,” he declared. Rescue workers are still clearing the rubble, with dozens confirmed dead and around a hundred injured.

First responders were seen “standing in a chain and dismantling stones to save more children whose hearts are beating under the rubble,” Archbishop Shevchuk said. He emphasized that the strike was “not only a crime against human laws and international rules of warfare” but also “a sin that cries for vengeance to heaven, according to Christian morality.”

The archbishop offered prayers for the victims, saying, “Today we cry with all the victims, we pray for all the perished, especially the innocent children. We want to wrap all the wounded with our Christian love, all those who are hurting the most.”

He concluded with a heartfelt plea: “Lord, by Your power, instill in us hope for the protection of the lives of our children and women. Merciful God, bless our long-suffering Ukrainian land with Your just peace!”

This story was initially published by the Catholic News Agency and has been adapted by EWTN Norway.

Photo credit:
Smoke billows into the air behind a Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church in Kyiv, Ukraine, after a missile attack on July 8, 2024. | Credit: Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church