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Russians Striking Old Buildings to Maximize Destruction and Casualties, Ukraine’s Emergency Service Says
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Russian forces are deliberately targeting older residential buildings in an effort to maximize destruction and civilian casualties, according to Major General Volodymyr Kachkan, Director of the Emergency Response Department of Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. He made the statement in an interview with Censor.net on September 19.
“From what we see, the Russians are trying to hit old residential buildings in order to cause greater destruction, more deaths, and panic among people. If panel houses are hit, they may ‘collapse,’ but voids remain inside. However, when old brick houses built in the 1950s are struck, people are completely buried under rubble with virtually no voids left,” Kachkan said. He added that a person who finds themselves trapped in the voids of a panel building has a higher chance of survival.
The general underscored that when several strikes are recorded, rescuers always prioritize the residential sector and deploy equipment directly to the sites where people may be trapped.
“We first send units to the residential sector—apartments and houses that may have been hit and where people could be trapped. And we respond on site even during air raid alerts,” he stressed.
Kachkan also warned that civilians attempting to help during rubble clearance often hinder rescue efforts in the early stages.
“Often we cannot get close enough, we’re trying to position our equipment, preparing work areas… For civilians, entering such sites is extremely dangerous. We inspect all apartments together with the police. And sometimes we don’t even allow police officers in if the risk is too high,” Kachkan explained.
Earlier, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov said that Ukraine requires additional air defense systems and interceptor drones as Russia is likely to expand its attacks by the end of the year.
