Born in a war: Kyiv maternity hospital carries on under siege

A couple with their newborn baby take shelter in the basement of a perinatal centre as air raid siren sounds are heard amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, March 2, 2022. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

KYIV (Reuters) - Sitting on a temporary bed set up along a gloomy underground passageway, expectant mother Alena Shinkar reads a book to try to stay calm.

The Ukrainian has been at a Kyiv maternity hospital since before the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24 waiting to give birth, but with the capital city under siege from rockets and missiles, her nerves are fraying.