It's a horrifying scenario that's becoming all too familiar in Ukraine. First, an area is hit by a Russian strike, and just as emergency responders rush to the scene to aid victims, a second strike follows, targeting the very people trying to save lives.
This tactic, known as a 'double tap' strike, has seen a sharp increase in use by the Russian military, bringing devastating consequences to Ukrainian cities and their inhabitants. This is reported by Dagbladet.
Night of Terror in Kharkiv
In the early hours of April 4, Kharkiv experienced this brutal strategy firsthand. A drone attack demolished several homes and a 14-story building, initially injuring two individuals. But the nightmare didn't end there.
Less than an hour later, as rescuers Vladyslav Lohinov, Serhii Baidalinov, and Volodymyr Matiushenko worked tirelessly at the site, they were struck again in a second barrage.
This ruthless method not only resulted in the deaths of three rescue workers but also claimed the life of a 68-year-old civilian woman, while injuring six others, detailed Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.
A Grim Training Ground
Before unleashing this tactic fully in Ukraine, Russia reportedly tested and perfected it in Syria, as noted by the Kyiv Independent. The frequency of such attacks has only escalated, as demonstrated by additional double tap strikes in Odessa on March 15 and April 10, which killed 20 people and injured over 80.
Since the onset of the invasion, 91 Ukrainian rescuers have died, and 351 have been injured, though it is unclear how many of these casualties directly resulted from double tap strikes.
The Rising Cost of 'Double Tap' Strikes
As the war drags on, the toll on Ukrainian civilians and emergency personnel continues to rise, revealing the harsh realities of a conflict marked by increasingly ruthless tactics. With each attack, the resilience of Ukraine's emergency services is tested, yet their commitment to saving lives never wavers, despite the ever-present danger of the next strike.
