Drones Targeted at Ambulances and “Double-Tap” Tactics: The Reality for Medics in Ukraine

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, thousands of medical facilities in Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed as healthcare workers increasingly face precise, lethal drone strikes and tactical double-tap attacks.

Systematic Attacks on Healthcare

Between February 2022 and the end of 2025, the World Health Organization documented 2,811 attacks on healthcare facilities. The Ukrainian Ministry of Health reports that Russian forces damaged or destroyed over 2,500 medical centers, with 327 completely leveled. Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) recorded 20 attacks on facilities they support, resulting in the loss of four hospitals and seven ambulance bases.

Robin Meldrum, head of mission for MSF in Ukraine, states these strikes are too frequent and precise to be accidental. He asserts that the targeting of clearly marked vehicles and hospitals is a deliberate pattern with a specific objective.

The FPV Drone Threat

Medical teams face constant threats from FPV drones, which allow soldiers to identify and strike targets in real-time. On September 29, 2025, a nurse and a health center director in Lyman were struck while transporting medicine in a marked vehicle, leaving the director with a severed leg. Andriy Rebrov, the center’s director, described the explosion and the subsequent loss of hearing for both occupants.

These drone strikes have replaced artillery as the primary cause of injury in many areas. Surgeons report that the resulting wounds are deep, irregular, and filled with shrapnel, making it nearly impossible to clean them without removing excessive tissue, which subsequently leads to high rates of infection and sepsis.

The Danger of Double-Tap Strikes

A particularly alarming tactic involves “double-tap” attacks, where a second strike is intentionally aimed at rescuers and bystanders arriving at the scene of an initial incident. This strategy turns humanitarian aid into a deadly risk, discouraging future rescue efforts and maximizing casualties among medical teams who must now weigh life-saving actions against the probability of a follow-up strike.

Collapse of Medical Access

The fear of strikes has drastically reduced access to healthcare, with the percentage of civilians reporting “always” or “mostly” having access falling from 72 percent to just 35 percent. Many mobile clinics, such as those formerly operating in Kherson, have been suspended due to the danger posed by FPV drones and grenade-dropping units.

Functioning hospitals face critical staffing shortages, with some facilities reporting a 66 percent decline in medical staff since 2022. Preventable conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease have become life-threatening due to treatment interruptions, while survivors are often confined to lower floors of buildings for safety.

A Call for Accountability

Ten years after the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2286, which mandates the protection of medical personnel and infrastructure, MSF is calling for urgent action. The organization urges all parties to comply with international humanitarian law and demands that the UN Security Council launch investigations into the systematic targeting of healthcare facilities.