On the 10th of July 2024 a peaceful protest by Ukrainians living in Kerry took place in the central square in Tralee. The protest is dedicated to the memory of those children and adults who died in a rocket attack on the 8th of July, which destroyed the county’s largest Children’s Hospital in Ukraine. 33 people, including children, where killed in Kyiv last Monday, June 8. The largest children’s hospital, Ohmadyt, a maternity hospital and a civilian building were intentionally destroyed by Russian missile attacks. On the same day, russia attacked other cities in Ukraine: Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Kryvyi Rih.
This action aimed to remind the media, authorities, and local residents that the war in Ukraine is still ongoing and that innocent Ukrainian children are dying from rocket attacks on hospitals and residential buildings.
During the peaceful protest, 200 ukrainians demanded urgently needed air defence systems to protect against rocket attacks, which target children’s hospitals, residential buildings, and power plants that power entire cities.
Ukrainians reminded that the russian embassy in Ireland still works and demanded the russian ambassador’s expulsion.
“We are talking about children’s hospital attack because of its striking cruelty. But such stories happen in Ukraine every day. Ukraine urgently needs air defence systems to protect itself. We believe that the air defence system is humanitarian aid,” – said Natalia Krasnekova , a Ukrainian activist in Kerry.
Similar peaceful protests took place today in Dublin and Galway. Protests in Wexford, Portlaoise, Cavan and Ennis are planned for the nearest days.
