Swedish aid ambulance attacked by Russian drone in Ukraine

An ambulance belonging to the Swedish aid group Operation Aid was struck by a Russian drone in Kherson, Ukraine, on Thursday while responding to an emergency. The organization expressed relief that its medical team, composed of Ukrainians, survived the attack unharmed.

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We are grateful that our medical team is alive.

The incident occurred as two team members were en route to an emergency call. They noticed they were being pursued by a drone, stopped the vehicle, and evacuated just moments before the ambulance was hit. The drone attack destroyed one side of the ambulance, likely necessitating its replacement. Fortunately, no patients were in the vehicle at the time.

Malin Dahlberg Markstedt, the organization's secretary-general, described the attack as deliberate and a "humanitarian safari," where civilian targets are intentionally attacked, constituting a clear breach of the laws of war. She noted that the Geneva Conventions protect medical transports and personnel, but Russian forces have not respected these rules.

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They stopped abruptly and threw themselves out. When they had thrown themselves out, the ambulance was hit by a drone. They are alive, and we are so grateful and relieved about that.

The World Health Organization has verified over 3,140 attacks on Ukrainian healthcare facilities since the full-scale invasion began. Operation Aid also faces challenges from damaged roads and the inherent dangers of operating in frontline areas, making it difficult to reach civilians in need. The organization continues its work in Kherson, a city that remains under regular shelling from Russian forces occupying the eastern bank of the Dnipro River.

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This is an example of the humanitarian safari that we have seen many examples of, where civilian targets are targeted and attempts are made to hit them. It is a clear violation of the laws of war.