The UK government has sent five more plane-loads of medical equipment and aid to Ukraine as Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, accused Russia of war crimes for assaulting medical facilities.
Mr. Javid stated there had been about 23 attacks on hospitals and health centers since the war began.
He further said: “This is a war crime, and Russia will pay for these crimes.” Although, Russia is claiming, without providing evidence, that hospital bombings are fake.
On Thursday, one attack on a children’s and maternity hospital in Mariupol, which killed three people, including two women and a child, was denounced by PM Boris Johnson as “wicked.”
While giving a speech on a visit to Birmingham Hospital, Mr. Javid stated that “Russia needs to end its violence.”
“This is an illegal invasion started by Russia, totally unjustified and completely unprovoked,” he said.
He added that the World Health Organization (WHO) has counted more than 20 hospitals and health facilities hit or targeted by the Russian army, describing it as “totally unacceptable.”
On top of the five plane-loads already sent, more medical aid will go out in the coming days.
According to the Geneva Convention and some other international agreements that try to regulate wars, civilians cannot be intentionally attacked. Neither can the infrastructure they depend on for survival.
On 3rd March, the United Kingdom and 37 countries referred Russia to the (ICC) International Criminal Court, which executes war crimes, after the bombardment of health centers in several cities.
At the same time, an intelligence briefing from the Ministry of Defence says various areas remain surrounded by the Russian military and continue to suffer heavy bombardment.
The MoD said fighting NW of Kyiv continues with the majority of the Russian military now 25 km from the middle of the capital city.
The United Kingdom has pledged more than 400m pounds of aid to Ukraine, including economic support and humanitarian assistance.
