In a tragic incident amid the ongoing conflict, Dr. Oksana Leontyeva, one of Ukraine's top children's cancer surgeons, was killed by a Russian missile strike, according to Daily Mail.
The devastating attack occurred just after she dropped off her five-year-old son at nursery school. Dr. Leontyeva was renowned for her work as an oncologist, having saved countless lives performing bone-marrow transplants at Okhmatdyt, Kyiv's leading children's hospital, for over a decade.
The missile barrage, part of Russia's largest offensive since its invasion in February, claimed 19 lives and injured many more across various Ukrainian cities.
This particular strike in Kyiv's city center not only robbed a child of his mother but also the medical community of a highly respected and skilled surgeon.
Dr. Leontyeva's death is a significant loss for both Okhmatdyt hospital and Ukraine, where she was celebrated as a professional and supportive figure. Her son Gregory is now an orphan, as his father was also killed over a year ago, leaving him in the care of his grandfather.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, labeling Russia a 'terrorist state', and emphasized the Kremlin's desperation as it fails to match Ukraine on the battlefield. This attack, along with others across the country, further escalates the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
Watch footage of Ukraine's airstrikes and subsequent ground assault near Bakhmut right below:
