Rescuers among victims of ‘double tap’ strike

A “DOUBLE tap” Russian missile strike hit homes in Odesa yesterday, killing at least 20 people, including emergency workers, and wounding more than 70.

An initial missile damaged about 10 houses in Ukraine’s Black Sea port city before emergency services arrived. A second strike killed rescue workers.

The tactic of firing a second missile at the same location, aiming to hit rescuers, is known in military terms as a double tap. Such strikes often hit civilians.

Russia has stepped up its strikes on the southern city in recent weeks, launching drones or missiles almost every day.

Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, said Russia would receive a “fair response” from Ukrainian forces for what he said was a “vile” strike.

Oleh Kiper, the regional governor, said on the Telegram messaging app: “As a result of the Russian missile attack, 14 people were killed, including local residents, a medic and a rescuer.”

The medic and rescuer were killed by a second missile after rushing to the scene to treat people hurt in the initial strike, Mr Kiper added.

Ten private houses, a low pressure

‘The enemy is fighting against civilians at a time when it cannot guarantee the safety of its own people’

gas pipeline and rescue vehicles were damaged in the attack, emergency services said. Rescuers battled to put out fires on the pipeline and in a private house over a total area of about 120 square metres.

Odesa, one of Ukraine’s biggest ports, has long been a target of Russian attacks, especially after Moscow quit a UN-brokered deal that had allowed safe passage for Ukrainian grain shipments via the Black Sea.

Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian presidential chief of staff, wrote on Telegram: “The Russian terror in Odesa is a sign of the weakness of the enemy, which is fighting against Ukrainian civilians at a time when it cannot guarantee the safety of people on its own territory.”

Ukraine has developed and used long-range drones to try to strike back at Russia, stepping up attacks on a string of oil refineries this week in the run-up to Russia’s March 15-17 presidential election.

A Ukrainian emergency worker rests after being injured yesterday when a missile hit where he was helping to evacuate residents in Odesa after a previous Russian attack