Heroic Medics Persevere During Missile Strike on Kyiv Children's Hospital

Oleh Holubchenko and his team were performing surgery on an infant when a missile struck Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv. Despite suffering injuries, they continued their mission to save the child amidst chaos. The attack, blamed on Russian missiles, resulted in casualties and widespread damage, but the community quickly mobilized for recovery.

Oleh Holubchenko's team was performing surgery on five-month-old Taras when a missile strike sent medics flying across the room.

Shards of glass injured Holubchenko and his colleague Ihor Kolodka, while the baby lay amid shattered equipment and bleeding doctors. 'Is everyone alive?' Holubchenko shouted.

Anaesthesiologist Yaroslav Ivanov manually resuscitated the baby, fearing a ceiling collapse. Some team members carried Taras to the basement. The missile strike on Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv shocked Ukrainians and drew angry condemnation from Kyiv and Western nations.

According to the U.N., the hospital likely took a direct hit from a Russian missile during airstrikes that killed at least 44 people. The Kremlin attributed the damage to Ukrainian anti-missile fire, offering no evidence. Two adults died and dozens were wounded at Okhmatdyt. Patients and staff sought refuge in basements.

'Okhmatdyt felt like the safest place,' Ivanov said, recovering from concussion. In the basement, the team revived Taras and transferred him to another hospital. Despite injuries, they continued working. Kolodka removed glass from his face and assisted outside. The toxicology department was flattened.

The team's efforts didn't cease. Kolodka returned home to power outages, a norm as Russia targets energy infrastructure. Both he and Holubchenko resumed work promptly. Taras survived the surgery, giving them a morale boost. Community volunteers quickly mobilized, clearing rubble and glass.

'Our people's unity is heartening,' Kolodka remarked.

(With inputs from agencies.)