Russian Double-Tap Attacks in Ukraine: A Despicable Act of Cowardice
KYIV — On the night of 3 April, a swarm of Russian drones attacked Kharkiv, in Ukraine’s northeast. The country’s second-largest city has been targeted almost incessantly since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. But this time was worse than usual, because, when rescue workers arrived at the scene, there was a second strike. Three of them were killed.
Double-Tap Strikes
The following Friday, it happened again when Russian missiles hit Zaporizhzhia, a major city in Ukraine’s southeast. Rescuers and journalists rushed to the scene, and then two more missiles hit. In total, four people were killed and more than 20 were wounded, including two local journalists. Both the Kharkiv and the Zaporizhzhia attacks employed a technique called “double-tap” — when an initial air strike is followed by a second attack, killing rescuers trying to help the injured.
Increasing Frequency
Russia has carried out this kind of repeat attack before. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a strike on a building in the southern city of Odesa in March that killed 20 was a double-tap, and called it a “despicable act of cowardice”. Ukrainian officials say they have seen an increase in the use of such attacks.
UN Concerns
On Thursday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said it had seen a “particularly troubling pattern” of double taps in recent weeks. It called them “cruel” and “unconscionable” and urged for them to stop. Rescuers from Ukraine’s State Emergencies Service DSNS often arrive to deal with the aftermath of Russian attacks before everyone else, and they also say the threat of repeat strikes is becoming ever more frequent.
Humanitarian Concerns
“Unfortunately, the tactic of double-tapping has been used increasingly often recently. This is difficult to comprehend. The Russians have no right to do this,” DSNS spokesman Oleksandr Khorunzhy told the BBC. He called double-taps “utterly immoral” and emphasized the impact on civilians.
War Crimes Allegations
Karolina Hird, an analyst at the US-based Institute for the Study of War, says double-tap attacks targeting rescue workers could, and likely do, constitute a war crime. The International Committee of the Red Cross also emphasized the obligation to protect first responders in conflicts.
Defiance in the Face of Adversity
Despite the brutal attacks, Ukrainians targeted by double-tap attacks remain resilient. They accuse Russia of trying to crush their fighting spirit and resilience. But they vow to persevere. “We shall win,” says Kira Oves, the journalist wounded in one such attack in Zaporizhzhia.
