After nine newborns tragically lost their lives at a Siberian medical facility earlier this month, the Russian Investigative Committee has arrested two high-ranking doctors on charges of negligence and causing death through negligence.
Vitaly Kheraskov, the chief physician, and Alexey Emikh, the acting head of intensive care, were apprehended on January 14, 2026. The arrests followed the infants’ deaths, which occurred between January 4 and January 12, 2026, during Russia’s New Year holiday period. The infants were patients at Novokuznetsk Maternity Hospital No. 1 in Novokuznetsk, Siberia, a city in the Kuzbass region with a population of nearly 500,000.
From December 1 to January 12, there were 234 births at the hospital. Seventeen of these infants were critically ill in the intensive care unit, with 16 being premature. All 17 infants suffered from a severe intrauterine infection and various diseases, in addition to having extremely low birth weights.
According to Svetlana Petrenko, a spokeswoman for the State Investigative Committee, a detailed forensic investigation into each death is currently in progress to establish the exact circumstances that led to the fatalities.
The incident has shed light on severe deficiencies at the hospital. As per the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper, the hospital had been issued five warnings by health authorities between August and November of the previous year. Inspections revealed a shortage of specific medications, raising concerns about the facility’s ability to adequately care for high-risk births and critically ill newborns.
Due to a high incidence of respiratory infections, the hospital stopped admitting patients on January 13. Despite being understaffed by dozens of employees, the hospital administration denied any staff shortage.
On January 19, a court in the Kemerovo region ordered a three-month suspension of services at the hospital, citing failures to comply with health and safety regulations in providing medical services. A lawyer representing the hospital pleaded guilty to the allegations on behalf of the facility.
This case underscores the longstanding issues of staff shortages and funding deficiencies in the Russian healthcare system.
Valentina Matvienko, the speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament, characterized the incident as a tragedy. “It must never be repeated,” she stated, echoing the shock and dismay felt by Russian officials and the public.
The governor of the Kuzbass region has ordered an inspection of all regional maternity hospitals in the wake of these deaths. This proactive measure is aimed at preventing similar tragedies and identifying systemic problems before they cause further fatalities.
Pro-Kremlin lawmaker Yana Lantratova emphasized the broader implications of this tragic event. “In times of a demographic crisis, allowing several infants to die in one maternity hospital in such a short period is a crime against the country,” she stated.
Questioning the hospital’s response, Pavel Vorobyov, a prominent Russian doctor, asked why no action was taken after the first death. He suggested that early intervention might have prevented the following fatalities.
The arrests of the chief physician and intensive care head indicate that the authorities are treating these deaths as potentially preventable, rather than unavoidable medical outcomes.