Ukraine's interior minister calls for rethink of emergency response approaches following Odesa attack

During a visit to Odesa, Ihor Klymenko, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, instructed his ministry to review, and where necessary amend, the emergency services' approach to emergency response, taking the situation on the ground into account. Source: Ihor Klymenko on Telegram; Odesa Oblast police Quote from Klymenko: "I held a meeting in Odesa with the heads of the State Emergency Service and National Police and the local representatives of the National Guard and the State Border Guard Service.

We discussed the attacks on Ukraine. Over the course of the past 24 hours alone, enemy forces have carried out 400 attacks on 10 of Ukraine's oblasts.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs' emergency services are fully ready to respond to emergency situations. I have also instructed [the ministry] to undertake a careful analysis of the existing instructions and, where necessary, to amend the approach [to emergency response], taking the operational situation into account."

Details: Odesa Oblast Police reported that Klymenko and National Police chief Ivan Vyhivskyi visited the site of the Russian missile strikes in Odesa. They inspected the effects of the attack on the city's recreational grounds and spoke to representatives of Ukraine's security and defence forces. "We can clearly see that the enemy forces targeted civilian infrastructure.

When [emergency] service workers arrived to deal with the aftermath and assist injured civilians, the Russians deviously deployed another missile to carry out a second strike on the same area. This resulted in casualties among civilians, State Emergency Service workers, doctors, and National Police officers," Klymenko said. The minister also visited those currently being treated for their injuries in hospital.

Background:

• On the afternoon of 15 March, Russian forces launched a missile attack on civilian infrastructure in the city of Odesa.

  After  the first attack, while emergency workers were assisting injured civilians and clearing away the debris, the Russians carried out a second missile strike.

• A total of 21 people were killed and more than 70 sustained injuries as a result.

  39 people are currently in hospital, including 8 whose condition is critical.

  16 March has been declared a day of mourning for the victims in Odesa Oblast.

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