Tragedy in Siberian Maternity Hospital: Nine Newborns Dead

Russia has detained the chief doctor and acting head of a Siberian maternity hospital's intensive care unit following the deaths of nine newborns. The State Investigative Committee alleges negligence in providing medical care, causing widespread public outrage and questioning national priorities on birth rates.

The Russian authorities have detained the chief doctor and the acting head of the intensive care unit at a Siberian maternity hospital following the tragic deaths of nine newborn babies. This was announced by the investigators on Wednesday.

According to Russia's State Investigative Committee, the medical professionals are suspected of causing these deaths through negligence. Attempts to reach the doctors or their legal representatives were unsuccessful. The committee emphasized that the deaths occurred due to the suspects' failure in delivering adequate medical care between December 1, 2025, and January 12, 2026.

This incident, widely reported by both state and independent media, has sparked immense public outrage across Russia. It raises concerns over the country's capability to improve its birth rate, a stated priority of President Vladimir Putin, especially when catastrophic events of this nature occur.

(With inputs from agencies.)