Russian authorities have arrested the chief physician and the acting head of intensive care at Novokuznetsk Maternity Hospital No. 1 in Siberia following the deaths of nine newborns this month, prosecutors confirmed Wednesday.
The officials have been charged with negligence and causing death through professional misconduct, according to a statement from Russia’s Investigative Committee. The precise causes of the infants’ deaths remain under investigation, though regional health authorities indicated the babies were suffering from various conditions acquired during childbirth or pregnancy.
Between January 4 and January 12, 2026, nine newborns died while under the care of the arrested hospital officials. A forensic probe into each death is ongoing. The hospital has temporarily suspended patient intake due to a surge in respiratory infections among newborns.
The incident has sparked outrage among politicians and the public, highlighting longstanding issues in Russia’s healthcare system, including staff shortages and underfunding. Reports suggest the hospital was operating with significantly reduced staffing, though hospital officials have denied these claims.
Valentina Matvienko, speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament, described the event as a tragedy that “must never be repeated.” Kuzbass Governor Sergey Tsivilyov has ordered inspections of all maternity and prenatal hospitals in the region, while pro-Kremlin lawmaker Yana Lantratova called the deaths “a crime against the country” amid Russia’s demographic challenges.
Novokuznetsk, a city of roughly half a million residents in southern Siberia, still has one other maternity hospital that remains operational, according to the regional health ministry.
