Mariana Vishegirskaya lies in a hospital bed after giving birth to her daughter Veronika in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Friday. AP
Mariana Vishegirskaya lies in a hospital bed after giving birth to her daughter Veronika in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Friday. AP
Mariana Vishegirskaya lies in a hospital bed after giving birth to her daughter Veronika in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Friday. AP
Mariana Vishegirskaya lies in a hospital bed after giving birth to her daughter Veronika in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Friday. AP

World

Pregnant Ukrainian woman who escaped Mariupol hospital gives birth

Mariana Vishegirskaya pictured in same spotted pyjamas three days after fleeing hospital

The National

March 12, 2022

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A heavily pregnant Ukrainian woman who fled a hospital in Mariupol amid Russian air strikes has given birth to a baby girl.

Mariana Vishegirskaya had to flee the city’s Children’s and Women’s Health hospital as Russian forces bombed the city.

Ms Vishegirskaya, on the eve of giving birth, was taken to another hospital where she has since given birth to newborn Veronika.

Another unnamed woman who escaped the bombing has also delivered her baby.

Russian officials faced worldwide condemnation after making several false claims, including that the hospital had been taken over by far-right Ukrainian forces to use as a base and emptied of patients and nurses.

The Twitter account for the Russian Embassy in London claimed Ms Vishegirskaya was a beauty blogger and model, who was posing as two different pregnant women.

Ms Vishegirskaya is a Ukrainian blogger in Mariupol who posts about skin care, makeup and cosmetics – but there is no evidence she was anything but a patient at the hospital.

Mariana Vishegirskaya lies in a hospital bed after giving birth to her daughter Veronika, held by her husband Yuri. AP
Mariana Vishegirskaya lies in a hospital bed after giving birth to her daughter Veronika, held by her husband Yuri. AP

She has posted multiple photos and videos on Instagram documenting her pregnancy in the past few months and, in one, she can be seen wearing the same spotted pyjamas as on Wednesday.

The embassy posted side-by-side images of two Associated Press photos, one depicting Ms Vishegirskaya and another of a woman being carried away on a stretcher, placing the word “FAKE” over them in red text. The caption claimed: “The maternity house was long non-operational” at the time of the strike.

The embassy followed with a second tweet in which it shared a photo of Ms Vishegirskaya wrapped in a blanket outside the hospital alongside an image from her Instagram account to suggest she was playing a role.

The photo that captured Mariana Vishegirskaya walking downstairs in the maternity hospital after it was hit on March 9, 2022. AP Photo
The photo that captured Mariana Vishegirskaya walking downstairs in the maternity hospital after it was hit on March 9, 2022. AP Photo

AP reporters in Mariupol who documented the attack said they saw nothing to indicate the building was used as anything other than a hospital.

Twitter has since removed the Russian Embassy’s tweets and existing links are directed to a notice that says the posts violated Twitter’s rules.

The case drew attention at the UN Security Council, where Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia held up copies of the AP photos during a meeting on Friday while repeating falsehoods about Ms Vishegirskaya’s identity and the attack.

Police officers detain a woman in central Moscow, during a protest against Russian military action in Ukraine. AFP
Police officers detain a woman in central Moscow, during a protest against Russian military action in Ukraine. AFP
Children look at phones as people who fled the conflict in Ukraine wait outside an immigration office in Brussels, Belgium. Reuters
Children look at phones as people who fled the conflict in Ukraine wait outside an immigration office in Brussels, Belgium. Reuters
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Soldiers stand next to a bus with a damaged windscreen, after an attack on the Yavoriv military base, in Novoyavorivsk, Ukraine. Reuters
A soldier waits at a hospital after the attack on the Yavoriv military base. Reuters
A soldier waits at a hospital after the attack on the Yavoriv military base. Reuters
A wounded soldier is transported by medical workers, at a hospital in Novoyavorivsk, after the attack on the Yavoriv military base. Reuters
A wounded soldier is transported by medical workers, at a hospital in Novoyavorivsk, after the attack on the Yavoriv military base. Reuters
Rescuers work at the site of an accident after a bus that was carrying about 50 Ukrainian refugees overturned near Forli, central Italy. One person died in the crash. AFP
Rescuers work at the site of an accident after a bus that was carrying about 50 Ukrainian refugees overturned near Forli, central Italy. One person died in the crash. AFP
A man wounded in the air strikes at a nearby military complex is assisted by medical staff outside Novoiavorivsk District Hospital. Getty Images
A man wounded in the air strikes at a nearby military complex is assisted by medical staff outside Novoiavorivsk District Hospital. Getty Images
Paramedics find low ground after an air-raid siren sounds on the outskirts of Novoiavorivsk. Getty Images
Paramedics find low ground after an air-raid siren sounds on the outskirts of Novoiavorivsk. Getty Images
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A view of a residential building damaged during an air strike, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Chernihiv, Ukraine. Reuters
A tram damaged by shelling sits at a depot, in Kharkiv. AP
A tram damaged by shelling sits at a depot, in Kharkiv. AP
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An abandoned doll next to a car riddled with bullets in Irpin, north of Kyiv. AFP
A Ukrainian soldier holds a Next Generation Light Anti-tank Weapon that was used to destroy a Russian armoured personal carrier in Irpin. AFP
A Ukrainian soldier holds a Next Generation Light Anti-tank Weapon that was used to destroy a Russian armoured personal carrier in Irpin. AFP
Residents try to strengthen the wall of a house damaged by recent shelling, on the outskirts Kyiv. AFP
Residents try to strengthen the wall of a house damaged by recent shelling, on the outskirts Kyiv. AFP
Firefighters extinguish a blaze at a house after shelling in Kyiv. AFP
Firefighters extinguish a blaze at a house after shelling in Kyiv. AFP
A convoy of pro-Russian troops outside the separatist-controlled town of Volnovakha in the Donetsk region, Ukraine. Reuters
A convoy of pro-Russian troops outside the separatist-controlled town of Volnovakha in the Donetsk region, Ukraine. Reuters
Smoke from shelling rises behind a wreath at a cemetery in Vasylkiv, south-west of Kyiv. AP
Smoke from shelling rises behind a wreath at a cemetery in Vasylkiv, south-west of Kyiv. AP
A woman stands outside a local hospital, damaged during fighting in Volnovakha. Reuters
A woman stands outside a local hospital, damaged during fighting in Volnovakha. Reuters
People gather in the basement of a local hospital, which was damaged during clashes in Volnovakha. Reuters
People gather in the basement of a local hospital, which was damaged during clashes in Volnovakha. Reuters
A Ukrainian soldier leaves a damaged building after shelling in Kyiv. AFP
A Ukrainian soldier leaves a damaged building after shelling in Kyiv. AFP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. AFP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. AFP
A finance police officer boards Russian billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko's superyacht, which has been sequestered at the northern port of Trieste, Italy. Reuters
A finance police officer boards Russian billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko's superyacht, which has been sequestered at the northern port of Trieste, Italy. Reuters
A Russian KA-52 gunship strikes a Ukrainian military object. AFP
A Russian KA-52 gunship strikes a Ukrainian military object. AFP
Bystanders watch what appears to be Russian forces arresting Ivan Fedorov, mayor of Melitopol, a city in south-eastern Ukraine. Reuters
Bystanders watch what appears to be Russian forces arresting Ivan Fedorov, mayor of Melitopol, a city in south-eastern Ukraine. Reuters
Firefighters battle a blaze at a warehouse storing frozen products hit by shelling in Kvitneve, Kyiv region. Reuters
Firefighters battle a blaze at a warehouse storing frozen products hit by shelling in Kvitneve, Kyiv region. Reuters
A soldier loads the cargo hold of a chartered Boeing 747 airplane with duffle bags belonging to US soldiers, during their deployment to Europe, at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia. AP
A soldier loads the cargo hold of a chartered Boeing 747 airplane with duffle bags belonging to US soldiers, during their deployment to Europe, at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia. AP
Two young girls pray for peace in Ukraine at Lisbon's 16th century Jeronimos Monastery. AP Photo
Two young girls pray for peace in Ukraine at Lisbon's 16th century Jeronimos Monastery. AP Photo
A volunteer of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces walks on the debris of a car wash destroyed by Russian bombing in Baryshivka, east of Kyiv. AP Photo
A volunteer of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces walks on the debris of a car wash destroyed by Russian bombing in Baryshivka, east of Kyiv. AP Photo
Volunteers pass an improvised path under a destroyed bridge as they help an elderly resident in Irpin, north-west Kyiv. AP Photo
Volunteers pass an improvised path under a destroyed bridge as they help an elderly resident in Irpin, north-west Kyiv. AP Photo
A woman who was evacuated from Irpin kisses a cat wrapped in a blanket at a triage point in Kyiv. AP Photo
A woman who was evacuated from Irpin kisses a cat wrapped in a blanket at a triage point in Kyiv. AP Photo
An explosion is seen in an apartment building after a Russian army tank fires in Mariupol. AP Photo
An explosion is seen in an apartment building after a Russian army tank fires in Mariupol. AP Photo
A Russian army tank moves through a street on the outskirts of Mariupol. AP Photo
A Russian army tank moves through a street on the outskirts of Mariupol. AP Photo
Tonya Steyn, office manager and volunteer co-ordinator, sorts through medical supplies at the non-governmental organisation, SOS International headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. AFP
Tonya Steyn, office manager and volunteer co-ordinator, sorts through medical supplies at the non-governmental organisation, SOS International headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. AFP
An overview of damaged buildings and burning fuel storage tanks at Antonov Airport in Hostomel, north-west of Kyiv. Maxar Technologies / AFP
An overview of damaged buildings and burning fuel storage tanks at Antonov Airport in Hostomel, north-west of Kyiv. Maxar Technologies / AFP
The destroyed main building of school number 25, after being bombed in Zhytomyr. EPA
The destroyed main building of school number 25, after being bombed in Zhytomyr. EPA
A supporter holds a sign to support Ukraine during Paris' mayor and 'Socialist party' (PS) presidential candidate's campaign meeting in Rennes, western France. AFP
A supporter holds a sign to support Ukraine during Paris' mayor and 'Socialist party' (PS) presidential candidate's campaign meeting in Rennes, western France. AFP

But US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield praised the media for “documenting the truth on the ground,” and adding: “Russia cannot cover up the work of AP news photographers.”

After the bombing, Ms Vishegirskaya was taken to another hospital on the outskirts of the city, facing the front line, and gave birth via cesarean section in a city that’s been cut off from food supplies, water, electricity and heat for more than a week.

AP contributed to this report

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Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
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Stage: Early stage
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