Russian forces strike rescuers again in Sloviansk as they fight fire from earlier attack

Russian forces launched a second attack on rescue workers in the city of Sloviansk, in Ukraine's Donetsk region, while the crews were working to extinguish a fire caused by an earlier Russian strike, according to Ukrainian officials.

The so-called "double-tap" pattern, in which a follow-up strike targets the same location shortly after an initial attack, has been documented repeatedly throughout the war and has drawn criticism from humanitarian organizations and Ukrainian authorities, who say such strikes endanger emergency responders attempting to assist civilians.

Officials have not yet provided a full account of casualties or injuries among the rescue personnel affected by the second strike in Sloviansk, though the incident adds to a growing list of reported attacks on emergency workers during the conflict.

Sloviansk, located in a part of the Donetsk region that has seen sustained fighting throughout the war, has been repeatedly targeted by Russian strikes, with the city's infrastructure and residential areas sustaining significant damage over the course of the conflict.

Ukrainian authorities have consistently accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting rescue and emergency response personnel following initial strikes, allegations that Moscow has not directly addressed in detail.

International humanitarian law generally prohibits attacks that specifically target medical and emergency personnel engaged in rescue operations, and such incidents, when documented, are often cited by human rights monitors tracking the conduct of the war.

Emergency services in Sloviansk continued their response efforts following the second strike, though officials have not confirmed whether the fire from the initial attack has since been brought under control.