Photos: Ukrainian firefighters on risky mission to save lives

Thick gray smoke pours from the roof because the firefighters arrive at a brick home, considered one of a number of houses hit by Russian shelling in a residential neighbourhood in Kostiantynivka.

Town in jap Ukraine’s Donetsk province has come underneath intense bombardment in current days amid a Russian push to seize close by Bakhmut, the place Ukrainian forces have held on all through a grinding battle that began final summer time.

Ukrainian authorities say Russian forces are attacking Kostiantynivka with cluster bombs and missiles.

Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of Donetsk province, mentioned one individual was killed and at the very least three civilians wounded after a number of rounds of Russian shelling on Saturday.

An assault on the town a day earlier injured eight folks and destroyed or broken greater than a dozen homes. The barrages have overwhelmed native firefighters, who take nice dangers placing out fires in buildings and vehicles even because the shelling continues.

The air is heavy with smoke and the sharp scent of explosives because the firefighters unfold a hose. They smash the home windows of the brick home and spray water into it.

There aren’t any folks inside, however a canine is trapped in a cage within the again yard. A firefighter opens the gate and the canine runs out amid the smoke and particles.

The unit’s chief calls to his group to cease what they’re doing.

“Consideration everybody. Air raid!” he shouts.

The firefighters take cowl behind the home, they sit quietly as explosions go off within the close to distance.

It’s unclear whether or not the blasts are a brand new wave of assaults or secondary explosions attributable to fires within the space. Both means, they’re getting nearer. The group chief orders everybody again to the truck.

As they run down the dust street, one other loud explosion rocks the neighbourhood, sending a cloud of smoke in the direction of the sky not removed from the home they simply left.