Narendra Modi arrived in Moscow on Monday and was filmed embracing Vladimir Putin just hours after a wave of Russian missiles killed at least 41 people and left 166 injured in one of the bloodiest attacks on civilians in Ukraine since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

One missile hit a children’s hospital in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, killing two and triggering international outrage and condemnation.

Writing on the X platform, Zelenskyy said: “A Russian missile struck the largest children's hospital in Ukraine, targeting young cancer patients. Many were buried under the rubble.

“It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world's largest democracy hug the world's most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day.”

Modi’s two-day visit to Russia underlined the strong ties between the two countries. Indian-Russian trade in 2023-2024 was worth around $65 billion, with much of that due to Indian imports of Russian energy.

This, along with Indian purchases of Russian military equipment, has led to a huge trade imbalance between the two countries. The correction of this is an objective of Modi’s visit to the Kremlin, according to Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesman for the Indian Foreign Ministry.

Meanwhile, Ukraine observed a day of mourning on Tuesday following Monday’s attack.

Zelenskyy said that Russia had launched 40 missiles at several Ukrainian cities. According to official sources, along with the two deaths, the hospital attack left 16 people injured, seven of them children.