UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, Mar. 20 — On Mar. 15, the Russian FPV drone hit the ambulance in the village of  Chervona Khvylia, killing a driver Oleh Zhuravlov, 56, and a emergency medic Dmytro Kolesnyk, 27. They had also previously come under Russian drone attack, but survived it.

The post later spread on social media, with the author claiming that emergency medical teams lack personal protective equipment — including helmets and body armor — and are forced to operate near the front line under the constant threat of Russian drone attacks on unarmored vehicles.

Viktor Zabashta, the head of the regional Center for Emergency Medical Care and Disaster Medicine, said he had spoken to Dmytro’s father, who, according to him, had no complaints.

The outlet MediaPort spoke with Dmytro’s fiancée, who is also a former emergency medic. Since 2023, she had worked in the recently de-occupied areas of the Kharkiv region.

“At first, it was more or less voluntary. Later, whoever was assigned had to go — otherwise there would be reprimands, firings, and public criticism. I spent a year traveling to Borova in what felt like a tin can, with outdated equipment I couldn’t rely on. Good vehicles weren’t sent there, because they feared they might be damaged,” she said.

According to her, in 2024, three new ambulances equipped with modern equipment were purchased for medics in the Kharkiv region with funding from a US humanitarian project. Dmytro was assigned to one of these vehicles.

Another emergency worker, who currently works in the region, also shared her story with MediaPort anonymously. She said medical teams operate in dangerous areas without adequate protection.

“It’s no secret that soldiers laugh at our body armor. But the worst part is that, on paper, we’re not even there at night!” she said.

Comments under posts about the protection of medics also included similar concerns.

“Our first deployments to de-occupied areas in the Kharkiv region — Andriivka, Balakliia district. Civilian crews. Out in the open. No protection at all. We camouflaged the vehicles with tree branches,” one commenter wrote.

Zabashta told Gwara that medical workers are equipped with all necessary protective gear. He dismissed the social media posts as Russian propaganda.

“Since 2022, all medical personnel have been provided with body armor and helmets. No one has complained. I talk to people every day and ask them, ‘What do you have enough of, and what are you lacking?’” Zabashta said.

A Gwara Media reporter, who was on assignment and worked alongside the emergency medical personnel during filming, also reported that the medics were working without bulletproof vests.

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