Russia Delays Missile Strikes Until Civilians Leave Shelters, Ukraine Warns of New Tactic

Russian forces have been using a new strike tactic against Ukraine for several months now—a so-called “delayed attack” strategy that poses greater risks to civilians, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported in a comment for Channel 24 on June 23.

According to Klymenko, Russian troops are conducting combined attacks: they first launch drones in the evening, forcing people into shelters, then wait several hours before firing missiles closer to dawn—when people have returned home, believing the danger has passed.

“The occupiers use this tactic of delay: drones come first in the evening, and then, hours later—often by morning—missiles follow,” Klymenko told Channel 24.

Typically, the initial drones are sent at night. Once the air raid alerts end, residents leave shelters and go back to their homes, unaware that missiles are likely to arrive just before sunrise.

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Klymenko cited last night’s attack in Bila Tserkva, Kyiv region, as an example. During the evacuation of patients from a medical facility, two rescuers were injured and a woman being carried to safety was killed.

This marks the second incident in which State Emergency Service workers have been harmed during an evacuation under this tactic.

Russia launched a large-scale overnight missile and drone attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region on June 23, killing at least nine people and wounding 31 in one of the deadliest strikes on the capital in recent months.

According to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service, the assault hit several residential neighborhoods with a combination of ballistic and cruise missiles along with explosive drones.

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