UN says Security Council to hold emergency Ukraine meeting

The U.N. Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Ukraine on Tuesday after a deadly Russian strike on a Kiev children's hospital, a spokesman for the world body said.

The session scheduled for 10:00 am (1400 GMT) follows a request from Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, U.N. spokesman Farhan Aziz Haq told AFP.

Zelensky said 38 people were killed and 190 wounded Monday in a wave of missiles that targeted towns and cities.

He said Kiev was "initiating an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council due to the Russian strike on civilian infrastructure".

The U.N. said Tuesday there was a "high likelihood" that the children's hospital in the capital suffered "a direct hit" from a Russian missile.

Danielle Bell, head of the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, called the strike "one of the most egregious attacks that we've seen since the onset of the full-scale invasion" by Russia in February 2022.

The strikes damaged nearly 100 buildings, including multiple schools and a maternity hospital.

The air force said air defense systems downed 30 projectiles.

"It is necessary to shoot down Russian missiles. It is necessary to destroy the Russian combat aircraft on its bases. It is necessary to take strong steps that will not leave any security deficit," Zelensky said ahead of a NATO summit where arming Ukraine's air defenses is expected to top the agenda.

Following the strikes, U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday promised "new measures" to boost Ukraine's air defenses.

"Together with our allies, we will be announcing new measures to strengthen Ukraine's air defenses to help protect their cities and civilians from Russian strikes," Biden said.

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