Since the beginning of March, Russian shelling in Druzhkivka has killed three people and injured nearly thirty others

Date: 14 March 2026
A+ A- Subscribe

In the first two weeks of March, Russian shelling in Druzhkivka, the Donetsk Oblast, has killed three people and injured 28 others, according to the National Police of Ukraine.

A close-up, high-angle view shows first responders in blue gloves and tactical gear carefully assisting an injured person wrapped in a blue patterned blanket. The National Police of Ukraine logo is in the bottom right, and a subtitle in Ukrainian reads, "Hang in there, father" The rescue of a civilian in Druzhkivka. Video screenshot

Druzhkivka and the surrounding hromada are suffering from Russian strikes, which claim lives almost every day. Since August of last year, a mandatory evacuation of families with children began here, yet nearly 10,000 people continue to live in danger.

Law enforcement officers assist those who remain and evacuate those who have decided to leave their homes. For instance, in March, a woman called for help while transporting an injured relative in a wheelchair; they were promptly met by officers on the highway.

“Police paramedics, along with the State Emergency Service (SES), are constantly on duty in the city, being the first to provide aid day and night,” officers said, describing the specifics of working near the front line.

Russian drones significantly disrupt evacuations and daily life near the front line, so crews are mandatorily equipped with technology to intercept or jam enemy signals.

You may also want to read: Russian drone attacks on civilians amount to crimes against humanity – UN Commission

“Upon seeing a drone diving toward a civilian vehicle on our devices, the crew instantly rushes to the site of the attack,” they shared.

A distorted, low-resolution screen displays a high-angle aerial view of a road and buildings, likely from a drone's camera feed, with various telemetry data overlays. The National Police of Ukraine logo is visible in the bottom right corner. Russian drones significantly hinder evacuations and life near the front line, so crews are necessarily equipped with technology to intercept enemy signals. Video screenshot

The Donetsk Oblast is one of the areas most severely affected by Russian aggression. In over four years, the Russian military has officially killed more than 4,000 and injured over 9,000 civilians here alone.

This data is incomplete, as it does not include victims from Mariupol, Volnovakha, and other locations under Russian occupation. Law enforcement officials suggest that the death toll in Mariupol could be ten times higher than currently known.

It is worth noting that elderly Ukrainians suffer from the full-scale war disproportionately: among the more than 15,000 victims of Russian strikes over the past four years, they account for nearly half, despite making up only a quarter of the population.

Keep up with ZMINA on X and LinkedIn – and help us improve by answering a few quick questions here about our English-language coverage.

Share:
If you find a mistake, select it with the mouse and press Ctrl+Enter