Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says there were no patients in bombed Ukrainian hospital

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Credit: AFP Photo

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday the bombing of a Ukrainian children's hospital the previous day occurred after Ukrainian forces had taken over the premises and there were no patients there.

Asked about the bombing during a news conference following talks in Turkey with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba, Lavrov also said that the Western media were only presenting the Ukrainian point of view.

The Ukrainian president on Wednesday accused Russia of carrying out genocide after officials said Russian aircraft had bombed the hospital in Mariupol, burying patients in rubble despite a ceasefire deal for people to flee the besieged city.