Russian FPV drone strikes rescuers in Ukrainian city PHOTO

In Druzhkivka, Donetsk region, Russian forces attacked a rescue vehicle responding to a fire with an FPV drone.

The strike hit a fire truck, injuring four personnel who were hospitalised. The fire vehicle was also damaged, Caliber.Az reports via the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU).

According to SESU, Russian forces deliberately target emergency responders, who daily save civilians and mitigate the aftermath of attacks.

A United Nations independent inquiry shows that Russian forces have repeatedly used drones to strike civilian areas across frontline regions, deliberately hitting homes, infrastructure, and first responders such as ambulances and fire brigades, which are protected under international humanitarian law, impeding their ability to save lives.

Human Rights Watch reports that Russian-operated drones have targeted healthcare facilities and ambulances and their personnel, including rescue workers responding to previous attacks on civilians, forcing some emergency teams to cease operations due to safety threats.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service says Russian forces are intentionally directing drone strikes at unarmed rescue workers during evacuation and firefighting efforts, with Russian military channels even framing rescuers as legitimate targets when they “interfere with combat missions.”

Multiple verified news outlets have documented incidents where Russian drones have injured firefighters while they were combating fires caused by earlier attacks, illustrating a broader pattern of assaults on emergency services during the conflict.

By Jeyhun Aghazada