Kremlin Says Russia Did Not Attack Civilian Targets: Attacks Were Against Military Facilities

JAKARTA - Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Russia did not attack civilian targets in Ukraine, referring to the attack on a children's hospital in Kyiv, suggesting that the country's Defense Ministry's statement should be repeated.

"I urge you to be guided by the statement of the Russian Defense Ministry, which in no way admits that there was an attack on a civilian target and which states that we are talking about a downed anti-missile system," he said in a daily statement, when asked how Russia could say it did not attack civilian targets after the tragedy at the hospital Reuters reported, July 9.

"We continue to insist that we did not attack civilian targets. The attacks were carried out on critical infrastructure facilities, on military targets that are in one way or another connected with the military potential of the regime," he continued.

Previously, the Russian Defense Ministry said its forces attacked defense industry targets and an aviation base.

"The allegations made by Kyiv officials about deliberate Russian missile attacks on civilian targets are completely untrue," the ministry said, reported by TASS.

"A number of published photo and video reports from Kyiv make it clear that the damage was caused by a downed Ukrainian air defense missile launched from a missile system deployed within the city limits," the statement said.

According to the ministry, the Russian Armed Forces carried out high-precision strikes on Ukrainian defense industry sites and air bases in response to Kyiv's attempts to attack energy facilities inside Russia. All designated targets were hit.

Russia launched its largest wave of airstrikes in months on Monday afternoon on Kyiv and several other cities, killing at least 41 people. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted that 38 people were killed and 190 others injured.

Ukrainian authorities said Russia struck Kyiv's main children's hospital with a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile and rained missiles on other cities across Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Security Service said fragments of the Kh-101's rear section, with serial numbers, were found at the site, as well as parts of its guidance system.

"The conclusion of the experts is unambiguous, it was a direct hit," Ukraine's State Security Service said on Telegram.

Meanwhile, the head of the UN human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine said his analysis found the hospital was likely hit by a Russian missile.

Footage of Monday's incident, verified by Reuters, showed a missile flying in a steep trajectory towards the hospital yard at high speed, in what appeared to be a direct hit.

Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova rejected Kyiv's version and said, without citing evidence, that a NASAMS missile fired by Ukraine was to blame. She said this had been confirmed by "numerous witnesses", without identifying them.

Zakharova accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of trying to exploit the tragedy for propaganda purposes.