Russia wants to deflect responsibility for shelling Okhmatdyt children’s hospital — ISW

Russian officials and propagandists are trying to disclaim responsibility for the shelling of the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital.

Rubryka writes about this with reference to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Military analysts emphasized that the Russian subjects of the information space have made false statements about the missiles that were engaged in the attack, as well as about the condition of the hospital — all this contrary to the existing evidence.

The Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation also warned that Russian propaganda sources are stepping up various information operations aimed at deflecting responsibility for the attack away from the Russian Federation.

In particular, Russian propaganda made false statements about:

• that Ukraine uses part or all of the hospital to treat wounded Ukrainian soldiers,
• that Ukraine keeps missiles in the hospital,
• that the hospital was hit by Ukrainian air defense missiles, not a Russian missile.

ISW key takeaways as of July 8

• A Russian Kh-101 cruise missile hit the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in central Kyiv during a wider series of missile strikes targeting critical Ukrainian infrastructure throughout the day on July 8.
• Russian officials and information space actors are attempting to deflect responsibility for the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital strike by making false claims about the missiles involved and the state of the hospital — all contrary to available evidence.
• The July 8 Russian missile strikes likely employed a new and noteworthy tactic to maximize the damage from such strike series.
• Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and People's Republic of China (PRC) President Xi Jinping continued to posture themselves as potential mediators to an end to the war in Ukraine during a July 8 meeting in Beijing, despite Russian President Vladimir Putin's rejection of serious negotiations or any third-party mediation.
• Russian Vice Admiral Sergei Lipilin replaced Vice Admiral Vladimir Vorobyov as Russian Baltic Fleet Commander.
• Ukrainian forces recently regained lost positions in Chasiv Yar, and Russian forces recently advanced near Donetsk City and in western Zaporizhia Oblast.
• Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin called on July 8 for Russia to increase its domestic production of drones fivefold by 2030.

As Rubryka reported, during the massive Russian missile attack on July 8, Kyiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk were affected. More than 40 missiles of various types were launched. Residential buildings, infrastructure, and a children's hospital were damaged.

Also, a Russian missile hit the department of intensive and efferent therapy of chronic intoxications at the Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv.

As a result of the Russian missile attack on Okhmatdyt, it is known that two people died and more than 50 were injured. Most of them are doctors.

The UN Security Council will convene on Tuesday, July 9, to discuss Russia's massive missile attack on the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv.