Kyiv (Ukraine):Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed disappointment over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Russia, terming it a "devastating blow to peace efforts."
On Monday, PM Modi who is on a two-day visit to Russia met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the latter's house in suburban Moscow and images from the meeting showed the two leaders exchanging hugs and chatting.
Zelenskyy took to social media platform X to comment on the meeting of the two world leaders in the backdrop of the Russia's missile strike on a children's hospital in Kyiv.
"In Ukraine today, 37 people were killed, three of whom were children, and 170 were injured, including 13 children, as a result of Russia's brutal missile strike. A Russian missile struck the largest children's hospital in Ukraine, targeting young cancer patients. Many were buried under the rubble. It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world's largest democracy hug the world's most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day" the Ukrainian leader said.
According to a report by Associated Press, Russian missiles blasted cities across Ukraine on Monday, damaging the country's largest children's hospital and other buildings in a fierce assault that interrupted heart surgeries and forced young cancer patients to take their treatments outdoors. At least 31 people were killed, officials said. It was Russia's heaviest bombardment of Kyiv in almost four months, hitting seven of the city's 10 districts.
Meanwhile, here in India Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also criticised PM Modi for meeting Putin amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.