A Ukranian influencer has been accused of giving away details about a hospital treating injured troops just hours before it was hit by a lethal Russian air strike.
Popular Ukrainian influencer Anna Alkhim – who had 600,000 Instagram followers – had posted an appeal for aid for the clinic in Dnipro saying injured Ukranian troops were there.
But just hours after her 25th May posting, a Russian missile strike targeted the hospital, destroying part of the building.
Ukrainian officials say four people died in the blitz that wiped out a three-storey building the next morning on Friday, 26th May.
In her post, Alkhim said hospitals numbers 6 and 9 were treating a large number of military personnel.
She reportedly called on her followers to help the country’s defenders by taking clothes and food to collection points.
Local media have accused her of releasing information that allowed Russian forces to target the clinic.
Alkhim then reportedly deleted her post, which contained information deemed sensitive about the Ukrainian military and the hospital.
Ukraine has been under martial law since February 2022 and officials have repeatedly cautioned netizens and the media against posting sensitive information online that could be used by Russia.
After being criticised for sharing the information, the influencer defended herself, saying: “Firstly, I made a publication yesterday, because half of the inhabitants of Dnipro had it.”
She added: “And let me remind you that I am one of the few influencers who fills her stories and feed with publications about the war.
“I have volunteered and supported Ukraine from the first days of the war.”
Ans she went on: “But you don’t give a f*ck about it, because you need to post me on your stupid channels.”
Newsflash obtained a statement from the State emergency service (SES) of Ukraine dated 26th May saying: “As a result of a missile strike, a three-story building of a medical institution was partially destroyed in the city, followed by burning, as well as a fire in an adjacent building. The fire at the medical facility was extinguished in an area of 1,000 square metres.
“In the one-story building of the veterinary clinic, the area of the fire was 200 square metres. Rescue units have already dealt with it.
“Two people died on the spot, and another 23 were injured, including two children born in 2020 and 2017.
“In total, 52 rescuers and 18 pieces of equipment were involved from the State Emergency Service for liquidation of the consequences.”
The Ukrainian authorities have since said that the attack claimed the lives of four people.
