In the Kharkiv region, in the village of Chystovodivka in the Izium district, a tragic event occurred, serving as yet another confirmation of the cruelty of modern hostilities. A Russian unmanned aerial vehicle struck a group of law enforcement officers while they were engaged in neutralizing another enemy drone. As a result of the attack, an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technician was killed, and four others were injured.
Chronology of the Tragedy
According to information received by RBK-Ukraine from the Kharkiv police, the incident occurred on June 7. Police officers arrived in the area of Chystovodivka village to respond to a call. At the scene, there was a Russian drone of an unidentified type that had not detonated upon its initial landing. A specialized EOD team began work to neutralize it.
However, the process was interrupted by a new attack. While working at the scene, an enemy drone struck the law enforcement officers' service vehicle. From the powerful explosion and shrapnel, one of the EOD service employees was killed. Three police officers and one civilian sustained injuries of varying degrees of severity.
Response and Investigation
An investigative and operational group, heads of the district police department, and relevant services immediately arrived at the scene. All victims are receiving necessary medical assistance. Investigators have already begun documenting the consequences of the strike and gathering evidence.
Information regarding this incident has been entered into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations. The prosecution qualifies the aggressor's actions under Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — war crimes.
The "Double Tap" Tactic
This incident is another example of the Russian army's use of the "double tap" tactic. The essence of the method lies in a repeated attack on an object or location where a first strike has already been delivered, often with the aim of destroying response forces or rescuers who have arrived to mitigate the consequences.
A similar scenario unfolded on the night of June 2. At that time, the enemy first attacked a "Naftogaz" facility with drones, and about an hour later, delivered a second strike with missiles at the same location. The use of such tactics against the civilian population and law enforcement officers performing their duties indicates the high level of danger faced by people in frontline regions.