Emergency workers in Ukraine are reporting a significant increase in Russian attacks targeting ambulances and medical personnel, a trend that is increasingly cutting off civilians near the frontlines from essential healthcare services. The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that strikes on ambulances constitute 20% of all attacks on Ukraine's healthcare system, suggesting a deliberate strategy. This situation disproportionately affects the elderly and those with chronic conditions who remain in these dangerous areas.
Ambulance driver Inna Lytvynenko described the constant threat from drones, stating, "It's really scary. Every time when we take a patient to hospital, we just pray. These drones can appear from anywhere, they can even get through anti-drone nets." The increasing range of drones used by both Ukraine and Russia is expanding the danger zone, forcing mobile clinics operated by various health organizations to move their operations further away from conflict zones.
"Two years ago, we could go up to 5-8km (3.1-5 miles) from the frontline," said an unnamed medical professional quoted by the BBC. "Now we won't go anywhere within 30km and this distance keeps growing." This shift has led organizations like Doctors Without Borders (MSF) to halt regular visits to approximately 80 villages they previously served. MSF has also paused ambulance services in Sloviansk, a major city in eastern Ukraine, due to safety concerns.
"It doesn't feel like we're protected in this environment, and in the way that Russia is conducting the war," the medical professional added. "We don't feel that the rules of war are being respected."
The sustained attacks on healthcare infrastructure and personnel threaten the lives of those who survive shelling and air strikes but are left without access to necessary medication and medical check-ups. In some instances, police have been dispatched in place of ambulances due to the high risk involved. The widening operational area for FPV drones means that even mobile clinics are struggling to maintain proximity to frontlines to provide aid. Without access to healthcare, many elderly residents with chronic illnesses face a grave prognosis. Some ambulances have been damaged or destroyed in these attacks, rendering them unusable.