Some $20 million has been raised in donations and government transfers for reconstruction and medical care after a Russian missile strike destroyed a wing of Ukraine's largest children's hospital on Monday.
Ukraine's government said it has earmarked 100 million hryvnias ($2.4 million) for the Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital, which was hit in a day-time Russian missile strike on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine that killed more than 40 people, and it is considering adding another 300 million hryvnias.
"Together we will stand and rebuild everything,” Shmyhal said in a press release. "Ukrainians have once again shown cohesion and unity. We thank Ukrainians, businesses, and partners for their prompt response to the allocation of funds. We will need them all to restore the buildings and purchase equipment."
The government said another 250 million hryvnias were raised by the government-organized United24 platform created to collect donations for the victims of war, and 280 million hryvnias was donated directly to the hospital's Okhmatdyt Charitable Foundation.
With €1 million donated from the government of Lithuania, the Ukrainian government's tally of donations to the hospital approaches the equivalent of $20 million. However, the total likely exceeds that as many businesses and private citizens have pledged donations in social media posts and elsewhere.
No children were killed in the missile strike on the hospital Monday, but the hospital's toxicology building was destroyed and five other buildings damage, including country’s only onco-haematology laboratory, the government said.
According to The Associated Press, the hospital's general director Volodymyr Zhovnir estimated the direct damage at $2.5 million.
“The building where we conducted dialysis for children with kidney failure or acute intoxication is ruined entirely,” Zhovnir said.
Soon after the strike, Ukrainian businesses started announcing donations via social media, with national retail chain ATB-Market announcing a donation of 20 million hryvnias, while supermarket chains Silpo, Novus, Auchan, Varus and Kolo volunteered food and drink for the immediate restoration and medical efforts as well as cash donations.
Meanwhile, telecommunications firm Kyivstar announced a donation of 10 million hryvnias for the reconstruction of the hospital, which was matched by the OKKO gas station network.
Ukrainian bank Oschadbank announced a donation of 5 million hryvnias, which was matched by oil and gas drilling company Ukrnafta.
Many dozens of other companies pledged donations publicly and Monobank, the mobile-only Ukrainian bank working with United24, said donations to the government-run charity platform totaled 100 million hryvnias from 320,000 people within 48 hours of the strike.
