At Least 3, Including Child, Dead In Ukraine Hospital Attack

At least three people, including a child, were killed in Ukraine during a Russian airstrike on a hospital in the city of Mariupol on Wednesday (March 9), Ukrainian officials confirmed via NBC News.

Civilians continued to be victims of intensifying attacks on Thursday (March 10), with Russia's invasion of the neighboring Eastern European country entering its third week, leading to accusations of war crimes against Moscow.

In total, five medical workers have been killed during attacks of 60 hospitals in Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion, Ukrainian health minister Viktor Liashko confirmed in a Facebook post on Thursday via NBC News, referring to the incidents as coming from "the bullets of Russian terrorists."

Reports of the hospital attack came as diplomats for the two countries met on Thursday, marking the highest-level talks between Ukraine and Russia since Russian President Vladimir Putin initially announced his decision to invade Ukraine on February 24.

However, the meeting was reportedly brief and didn't make much progress in ceasing the ongoing conflict, NBC News reports.

More than 2 million people have reportedly evacuated Ukraine amid Russia's ongoing invasion of the neighboring country as both sides agreed to a cease-fire to allow more civilians to escape, NBC News reported on Wednesday (March 8).

Putin announced his country would conduct military operations in Eastern Ukraine during an NBC News translation of a speech addressing the Russian population prior to sunrise on February 24 in Moscow.

The announcement served as the final action ahead of an attack by Putin and the Russian military, which the U.S. and European allies to the neighboring Ukraine have attempted to prevent from taking place through diplomatic discussions.

A Ukraine interior minister confirmed to NBC News via text message that "cruise and ballistic missile strikes" were already underway shortly after Putin's announcement.

NBC News correspondent Erin McLaughlin said explosions could be heard from her live shot in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital city, at 6:00 a.m. local time.

More than 1,000 protesters were reportedly arrested during anti-war protests throughout Russia amid President Putin's announcement to conduct military operations and ensuing attack on Ukraine, BNO News reported.