Russia used a “Banderol”-type dron to strike the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Zhytomyr region on Wednesday, Aug. 19, killing two police officers and injuring at least 20 people.
National Police chief Maksym Tsutskiridze detailed the strike, saying the attack ignited a fire on the roof and the fourth floor of the police headquarters building.
Police officers, rescuers, and other emergency services personnel responded to the scene, working to assist the injured and secure the area.
“This is yet another manifestation of the true nature of Russian aggression – terror directed against people and those who protect them,” Tsutskiridze said.
The State Emergency Service (DSNS) reported on Aug. 20 that three people were killed and 53 others injured in this attack.
Rescuers continue to work at the scene. The fire has been extinguished, while specialists are dismantling damaged structures and assessing the area.
Rescuers from Cherkasy and Rivne regions have been deployed to assist with emergency and recovery operations. They are helping dismantle damaged structures and inspect the affected site.
DSNS specialists, together with representatives of the Ukrainian Red Cross rapid response team, have also set up aid points at the scene to provide assistance to people in the area.
Rescue and emergency recovery operations continued throughout the night but were complicated by repeated air-raid alerts, which forced specialists to temporarily suspend their work.
Officers thanked for staying at their posts
“Once again, the enemy is not just hitting buildings,” Tsutskiridze said, adding that “it is deliberately attacking people who work every day for the safety of others.”
Tsutskiridze offered his deepest condolences to the deceased’s families and loved ones, while wishing strength and a speedy recovery to those injured.
He also addressed the police officers directly, thanking them for “staying at your posts despite the pain and loss.”
“You continue to serve, help people, and uphold the security of the country,” he continued.
According to Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat on July 20, Russia has increasingly relied on its jet-powered drones and the S8000 “Banderol” drones in its barrage against Ukraine.
Drones with jet engines can reach up to 373 mph (600 km/h) making them significantly harder to intercept.
Deadliest months of the war – June, July
Russia continues to conduct near-daily barrages on Ukraine nationwide, deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure alongside critical infrastructure, in violation of international humanitarian law under the Geneva Conventions.
According to the Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) on Aug. 12, July was the deadliest month in at least two and a half years, with roughly 634 people killed and another 4,590 injured.
The figure averages more than 20 civilian deaths a day and marks a sharp increase from June, when CIT recorded 451 deaths.
Separately, the United Nations’ (UN) Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reported on July 15 that June was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since the early phases of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
The report documented at least 293 civilians killed and 1,990 injured, with long-range weapons, particularly powerful missiles with area-wide effects and drones, remaining the leading cause of civilian casualties, accounting for 45% of the total.
Most casualties from these weapons occurred far from the frontline – in urban centers such as Kyiv and Dnipro, the report said.
The Russian armed forces have also been known to carry out “double-tap” strikes, a tactic in which they target first responders and emergency crews arriving at the scene of an earlier attack.