Ukrainian firefighters do their homework at double risk

KOSTIANTINIVKA, Ukraine (AP) — Thick gray smoke billows from the ceiling as firefighters arrive at the brick house, one of several homes hit by Russian shelling in a residential area of ​​Kostiantinivka.

In recent days, the town in Donetsk province in eastern Ukraine has come under heavy shelling as Russia strives to capture the nearby town of Bakhmut, which Ukrainian forces have held in check for a battle that began to rage in the middle of last year.

Ukrainian authorities say Russian forces are attacking Kostiantinivka with cluster bombs and missiles. Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of Donetsk province, said one person was killed and at least three civilians injured on Saturday after several rounds of Russian attacks.

In an attack on the town the day before, eight people were injured and more than a dozen houses were destroyed or damaged. The attacks have overwhelmed local firefighters, who are taking great risks to put out fires in buildings and cars, even as the shelling continues.

As firefighters deploy a hose, the air is shrouded in smoke and there is a strong smell of burning explosives. They blow out the windows of the brick house and spray water on it from the outside.

There is no one inside, but a dog is trapped in a cage in the garden. A firefighter opens the gate and the dog flees through smoke and rubble. The unit leader orders his team to stop what they are doing. “Attention everyone. Air raid!” he shouted.

The firefighters take refuge behind the house. They sit in silence as exposures erupt near the venue. One lights a cigarette.

It is not clear if the explosions are a new wave of attacks or secondary explosions caused by the fires in the area. In any case, the explosions are heard too close and the team leader orders them to return to the truck.

As they drive at full speed on a dirt road, another loud explosion rocks the neighborhood and fills the sky with a cloud of smoke not far from the house they have just left.

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Associated Press writer Karl Ritter in Kyiv contributed to this report.