Staff of a Kyiv maternity hospital haven't left work since a Russian invasion began a week ago, regularly having to move patients into the basement to shelter from air raids.
Sitting on a temporary bed set up along a gloomy underground passageway, expectant mother Alena Shinkar reads a book to try to stay calm.
The Ukrainian has been at a Kyiv maternity hospital since before the Russian invasion began on February 24 waiting to give birth, but with the capital city under siege from rockets and missiles, her nerves are fraying."I should not be stressed now so I am trying to cool myself down, but of course it is terrible what is happening," Ms Shinkar said in English.
"We are living in real hell. I never imagined that something like this could happen in the 21st century."She said she saw women who had just given birth by caesarean section rushed from the wards to underground passageways to protect them from bombardment, with no time to rest in between. Elsewhere in the facility, young mothers are treated by nurses and newborns rest in incubators or lie in parents' arms, being rocked back and forth.Yula, who gave birth to a son, Mark, on February 28, praised hospital staff for carrying on during a conflict that Russia describes as a "special military operation".
"We are safe here, the best personnel in the world, the best staff works here and we are very proud of them," she said."About 70 per cent of staff stay here permanently, we take turns at work," he said."The only difference is that labour that normally takes about 10, 15 hours starts, and then there may be an air raid alert and the women need to move to the shelter.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
What we know about 64km-long Russian convoy headed for KyivThe column of tanks, towed artillery, armored and logistical vehicles, which at times spans three-wide across the entire road, is believed under orders to occupy the Ukrainian capital.
Read more »
With Mariupol under relentless attack, Russian convoy closes in on Ukrainian capital KyivResidential areas are being increasingly targeted across Ukraine by advancing Russian forces. A Ukrainian presidential advisor says this is being done to cause the population to panic.
Read more »
Satellite images reveal how the Russian advance on Kyiv has stalledRussian troops have been advancing on Kyiv from Belarus to the north and Russia to the north-east. Advance lines are currently positioned just 25km from the city centre.
Read more »
Satellite pictures show massive 64km Russian convoy on march to KyivA military convoy that would stretch from Sydney's CBD past Penrith is pushing towards Kyiv, with warnings a major attack on the capital is imminent.
Read more »
Footage emerges of brutal shelling in Kyiv as Russia drops ‘vacuum bomb’Russia has dropped a devastating vacuum bomb on Ukraine while dozens have died in a renewed assault on the country’s second city Kharkiv.
Read more »
Russia closes in on KyivRussia is massing armoured vehicles outside Kyiv amid war crime claims that illegal weapons are being used in to inflict mass casualties.
Read more »