Three people sustained injuries when a drone struck the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics in Kyiv at 3:00 AM, hitting the second floor of the facility, The Guardian reported.
The blast in the capital’s Shevchenkivskyi district blew out windows in nearby buildings, including the National Academy of Arts across the road, according to The New Voice of Ukraine. Thirty patients were evacuated from the six-storey hospital, while emergency services rescued seven more people.
“We were asleep when there was this massive boom. We all jumped out of bed straight away,” said witness Oleksandr, according to The Guardian.
Received briefings from Minister of Defense of Ukraine Yevhenii Khmara and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykhailo Drapatyi. Unfortunately, our units have been recording significant disruptions to Starshield’s operations over the territory of Ukraine for…
“If it had hit a little further to the left it would have been much worse. We felt the shock wave,” Oleksandr told The Guardian, adding that medical facilities should not be targeted.
The medical director stated that the facility had temporarily suspended operations. “All medical assistance was provided by our own staff,” the medical director told The Kyiv Independent, noting that staff moved patients to undamaged wards or discharged them.
⚡️ Russian attacks kill 9, injure 61 across Ukraine over past day, spark fire at Kyiv hospital. Russian forces launched 117 long-range attack drones, Gerbera and simulator drones at Ukraine overnight on Nov. 13, including 63 jet-powered drones, Ukraine's Air Force said.…
Debris from the strike also landed near a 19th-century historic building on the institute grounds known as the manor of Baron Steingel, The New Voice of Ukraine reported.
Starshield Disruptions Hamper Air Defense
The hospital attack coincided with Ukrainian complaints regarding satellite communication bottlenecks. On November 12, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that speed restrictions on SpaceX’s Starshield system had made it harder for Ukrainian forces to shoot down incoming drones, The Guardian reported.
Zelenskyy stated that the Pentagon-managed, militarized version of Starlink experienced disruptions. Restrictions limited Starshield’s operating speed to 161 kilometers per hour, or 100 miles per hour, according to The Kyiv Independent.
The White House has not explained why the service was throttled. The cause of the restrictions remains unclear, according to The News International.
⚡️3 injured, dozens evacuated after Russian drone damages Kyiv medical facility in overnight attack. A downed drone caused a fire at a medical facility in the capital's Shevchenkivskyi district in the early morning, partially destroying its second floor, according to Ukraine's…
Russian strikes target energy infrastructure after peace negotiations
The military escalation followed trilateral peace negotiations in Abu Dhabi and subsequent meetings in Moscow, where Donald Trump’s emissaries Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with Vladimir Putin, The Guardian reported. Kremlin negotiators demanded that Ukraine hand over four provinces and requested a pre-1997 NATO security architecture in Europe.
Meanwhile, overnight Russian strikes targeted energy infrastructure across Ukraine, causing power outages in 12 regions including Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Rivne, Sumy, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, and Chernihiv, according to Deputy Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov.
“Energy workers are working at an intensified pace, but new attacks and constant air raid alerts are complicating and delaying repairs,” Nekrasov said.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron addressed the diplomatic efforts on November 13, stating that Europe must take part in talks because US support for Kyiv had ended. “Without Europeans, there is no support for Ukraine,” Macron said. “At the end of the day, we will be the ones to define and decide for our future security as Europeans.”
Frequently Asked Questions About the Kyiv Hospital Strike
Which medical facility in Kyiv was hit by the drone?
The National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics in the Shevchenkivskyi district was struck during the early morning hours, damaging its second floor.
How many people were evacuated from the hospital?
Thirty patients were evacuated by staff, and State Emergency Service rescuers safely removed seven more individuals from the building.
What is the status of the Starshield satellite system in Ukraine?
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Starshield satellite communications network disruptions and speed restrictions capped at 100 miles per hour hindered drone interception capabilities.
Which regions suffered power outages following the overnight strikes?
Deputy Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov confirmed power cuts across 12 regions, including Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and Kharkiv.
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