Occupiers take Mariupol hospital hostage - regional head

IRYNA BALACHUK - TUESDAY, 15 MARCH 2022, 17:14

The Russian military has taken doctors and patients of the Regional Intensive Treatment Hospital in Mariupol hostage.

Source: Pavlo Kyrylenko, Head of Donetsk Regional Military Administration, via Telegram

According to Kyrylenko: "The Russian occupiers have taken doctors and patients hostage. This was the news that one of the hospital's employees has managed to pass on.

Next came a quote: "It is impossible to get out of the hospital. They are shooting heavily, and we are sitting in the basement. Cars have been unable to get to the hospital for two days. There are multi-storey buildings burning all around... 400 people from neighbouring houses were forced to come to our hospital by Russians. We are not allowed to leave"."

Details: The head of the regional administration said that the Russian occupiers had recently almost destroyed the hospital: the floor slabs of the main building had fallen due to the bombardment. However, the staff and patients continued to work and receive treatment in the adapted basement.

Kyrylenko appealed to international human rights organisations to respond to these "malicious violations of the norms and customs of war, these flagrant crimes against humanity".

The head of the regional administration stressed that Russia and each of its citizens involved in the crimes in Ukraine should be punished.