Russian drone strikes firefighters battling blaze at Zaporizhzhia petrol station PHOTO

A Russian UAV struck firefighters while they were responding to a fire at a petrol station in the Zaporizhzhia region, the State Emergency Service (SES) has said.

During efforts to extinguish a liquefied gas tank that had caught fire as a result of shelling, Russia carried out a follow-up strike on the emergency responders. A drone hit one of the fire engines.

“Thanks to electronic warfare systems and the timely detection of an aerial threat, personnel managed to take cover. Emergency responders swiftly brought the fire under control. No casualties or injuries have been reported so far,” the Ukrainian service said.

Other regions of the country were also targeted in attacks, with fatalities reported.

In Kharkiv region, two people were killed and six others injured in a morning drone strike, according to officials. Two separate fires broke out in the Kholo dnohirskyi and Osnovianskyi districts of the city, both of which were quickly extinguished by firefighters.

In Donetsk region, a major fire broke out overnight in Kramatorsk following a Russian strike. A private property was damaged. Firefighters extinguished a blaze involving an outbuilding and 10 vehicles. The total fire area covered 200 square metres. No injuries were reported.

By Aghakazim Guliyev