Russia Says Mariupol Hospital Attack "Staged" By Ukraine

Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov has stated that the Mariupol hospital attack was staged by Ukraine.

The Russian army claimed Thursday that an attack on a children's hospital in the southeastern Ukrainian port of Mariupol, which killed three including a child and caused global outrage, was a "staged provocation" by Ukraine.

"The Russian aviation carried out absolutely no missions to hit targets on the ground in the Mariupol area," Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.

"The airstrike that allegedly took place is a completely staged provocation to maintain anti-Russian hype for a Western audience," he said.