Kyiv visit: flowers at the Wall of Remembrance;
Credit: Chronicle.lu
On Wednesday 30 April 2025, Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Xavier Bettel, and the Minister of Defence, Yuriko Backes, visited Kyiv in Ukraine in order to show solidarity with, and demonstrate Luxembourg's support for, Ukraine and its people at a time of continued Russian aggression in these uncertain times.
While the first article focuses on the bilateral meetings held during this visit, this second article focuses on the visit to Okhmatdyt Hospital, the scene of a recent missile attack at which international volunteers were working, and the Wall of Remembrance; a third article details Luxembourg's financial / military and humanitarian aid, etc., to Ukraine.
Okhmatdyt Hospital
The Okhmatdyt Hospital in Kyiv, the most important in the country, was badly damaged in a Russian missile attack on 8 July 2024, when the Toxicology block was destroyed, with the trauma unit amongst others also being damaged. Two people died and 32 were injured in the attack; more than 600 children were being treated in the hospital at the time, and almost 90 children were subsequently moved to other hospitals. This same attack claimed 25 lives in total (of which seven were in another maternity hospital) and more than one hundred people were injured.
The hospital is located just 80m from the Ministry of Infrastructure which is integrated into the Ministry of Reconstruction.
A total of around €50 million was raised by private donations to rebuild the hospital; however, the choice of contractor in a bidding process was criticised for not meeting the criteria set out, and the ensuing scandal resulted in some donations being rescinded. The Ministry of Health suspended the hospital director, Volodymyr Jovnir, who was replaced by the head of toxicology at the hospital, Olexandr Urin. A special council for the reconstruction of the hospital was created and part of the hospital has been rebuilt; however, the toxicology department and trauma unit are still without a home.
A hospital spokesperson, Sezhii Chezuyshuk, talked about the hospital and the attack, explaining that "they cannot beat our troops on the battlefield, that's why we believe in our saving lives here at the hospital". He added "We didn't have any other choice but to stick together, otherwise we die" in a reference to their community and fighting spirit. He recounted stories of surgeons and other medical staff saving patients, as well as stories of buildings within the hospital complex being declared unsafe by engineers. He also referenced that around 25% of missiles fired by Russia are manufactured in western countries, in a reference to how some countries / companies are still flouting sales bans to specific countries.
A cardiac surgeon, Illya Yemets, then led a guided tour through the main hospital building which, although still open for patients, is clearly currently undergoing major restoration, with furniture and hospital equipment littering the corridors and waiting areas, with pillars adorned by signs for underground shelters. He showed a five-minute video taken on the day of the attack showing the devastation, including patients in operating theatres surrounded by devastation. He revealed "In one moment the work of the school of cardiology was interrupted" and concluded by stating "our Ukrainian soldiers are heroes".
The hospital was built in 1983 by a benefactor whom statue is located in the hospital grounds. Illya Yemets pointedly remarked that part of his family is French.
For details on the hospital, see https://ohmatdyt.com.ua/en/slider/the-hospital-is-working-and-standing-for-life/
Wall of Remembrance
The Visit to the Wall of Remembrance in Kyiv city centre allowed Deputy Prime Minister Bettel and Minister Backes pay their respects to those who died for Ukraine in the Russian-Ukrainian war, by laying wreaths.
Deputy PM Bettel was visibly emotional as he listed to some of the stories of the fallen soldiers recounted to them as they walked the entire length of the wall, at the bottom of which were thousands of bunches of cut flowers, some in the blue and yellow colours of the Ukraine flag.
For this, and throughout the entire morning, they were accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andriy Sybiga, following which Luxembourg's ministers made entries in the Book of Honoured Guests of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
They also announced a new €10 million contribution to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, as well as €1 million for the Olena Zelenska foundation.
Site of Recent Attack
Ministers Bettel and Backes also got the opportunity to inspect the destruction of civil infrastructure due to Russian attacks. Eight people had lost their lives in a recent attack in Kviv city centre in which a residential house had been reduced to rubble. A team of international volunteers, including some from Norway and Tahiti with whom Minister Bettel talked, explained that the adjoining apartment block was deemed unsafe for continued habitation, so the they were taking out the various families' belongings item by item.
