Putin met children’s rights official while his forces bombed maternity hospital

Two adults and a child were killed after Putin's troops destroyed a maternity hospital.

Russia president Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's children's rights commissioner at the same time his forces bombed a maternity hospital. As Metro reports, the meeting between the two was held to reportedly discuss reform changes that would allow Russians to adopt Ukrainian orphans. It's understood that in the meeting, Putin said: "We are facing an emergency. I believe that we must focus on the interests of the children rather than think about red tape." Many have been highlighting the hypocrisy of Putin's words amid his invasion of Ukraine, which saw his troops bomb a maternity hospital in the city of Mariupol. A statement from Mariupol's City Council said that two adults and a six-year-old girl were killed after the hospital was "completely destroyed". 17 others were injured. The Ukrainian President Vlodoymyr Zelensky shared footage of the attack onto his Twitter and pleaded with global powers to do more and to close their airspaces. World leaders have since condemned the attack. The UK's Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "There are few things more depraved than targeting the vulnerable and defenceless. The UK is exploring more support for Ukraine to defend against airstrikes and we will hold Putin to account for his terrible crimes." US President Joe Biden said: "If we do not respond to Putin's assault on global peace and stability today, the cost to freedom, and to the American people will be even greater tomorrow. We will not be part of subsidizing Putin's war against the Ukrainian people." Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, 2 million people have fled the country, and it's understood that half of them are children. Millions more have been displaced within the country. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has said that over 406 civilians have been killed in the conflict.