Woman gives birth in underground shelter while Russia launches attacks on Ukraine

Two women in Kyiv and in the Luhansk area were in labour underground while Ukraine was attacked

Baby born in Ukraine bomb shelter ( )

A woman in Ukraine has given birth while shielding from Russian bombardment in a subway station in Kyiv.

The 23-year-old, who has not been named, welcomed baby Mia into the world just before 8.30pm on Friday.

She was assisted by on-duty police after they had heard her screams.

One officer, Mykola Shlapak, said police helped the woman deliver the baby and called an ambulance, which took them both to hospital.

She reportedly said that Mia and her mother have stayed at the hospital, and are doing well.

An image of the baby has been shared by Hannah Hopko, chair of Democracy in Action Conference.

Ms Hopko said the mother is “happy after this challenging birth” while the Ukrainian capital was being bombed.

She added: “When Putin kills Ukrainians, we call mothers of Russia and Belarus to protest against Russia war in Ukraine. We defend lives and humanity.”

Meanwhile, a boy was born on Saturday in the basement of a hospital damaged by attacks, as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine went into its third day.

A boy born in a maternity ward basement ‘in conditions, far from those who deserve a new life’ ( )

The birth was announced by the Starobilsk Multidisciplinary Hospital, in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine that Vladimir Putin recognised earlier this week as independent.

The Facebook page of the hospital says: “In conditions, far from those who deserve a new life – the voice of the newborn ... it’s a boy!”

Ukrainian MP Anastasia Radina likened women giving birth underground to wartime London, as she urged Nato to make Ukraine a no-fly zone.

She said: “Ukrainian mothers are now giving birth in shelters and metro stations during air raids.

“The Blitz of London 1940 is being repeated by Russia in Ukraine in 2022. Nato must make UA no fly zone.”

Hundreds of people have died in the conflict, and more than 120,000 Ukrainians have left the country since Thursday, according to the UN Refugee Agency.

Kyiv suffered its worst night of bombing in decades after Russian troops engaged in battle with Ukrainian forces in the capital on Saturday. The troops were trying to advance on the city from several directions.

But Russian troops have failed to make gains in trying to seize control of the capital, and Ukrainian forces have control of the situation in Kyiv, president Volodymyr Zelensky’s adviser Mykhailo Podolyak has said.