Russia's attack on an oncology center in the city of Kherson overnight on Dec. 21 "was nothing less than a heinous act of cruelty against civilians," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address.
Russian forces struck an oncology center with two guided aerial bombs, the Kherson Regional Military Administration reported.
In his evening address, Zelensky said that there were no casualties as a result of the attack on the medical facility as patients and medical staff sought shelter.
The oncology center, which has operated in a limited capacity since the start of the full-scale invasion, housed the only linear accelerator offering radiotherapy treatment in the city.
"The Russians could not have been unaware that this is specifically a medical facility, and one of great value to the residents of Kherson," Zelensky added.
"We will definitely continue to strike Russian military targets – with drones and missiles, increasingly with Ukrainian-made ones, specifically targeting military bases and Russian military infrastructure used in this terror against our people. Our defense is entirely just."
Throughout its full-scale invasion, Russia has continuously targeted medical facilities particularly in Ukraine's eastern oblasts. Ukraine's Health Ministry reported on July 22 that a total of 1,642 medical facilities have been damaged, and another 214 facilities have been completely destroyed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022 — although the updated number is likely significantly higher.
In July, Russia targeted the Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv - Ukraine's largest children's medical center - killing 2 and injuring at least 32 more, including children.
More recently, a Russian glide bomb attack on Zaporizhzhia on Nov. 8, damaged another cancer hospital.
Situated along Ukraine's front line, Kherson Oblast is the frequent target Russian of attacks.
Zelensky has repeatedly called for additional air defense systems from Western allies to better protect critical infrastructure across the country. During a visit to Brussels on Dec. 18, Zelensky called for an additional 19 air defense systems to be provided, according to a Kyiv Independent journalist who attended the briefing.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
