With the start of Russia’s large-scale aggression, Ukrainians were actively advised to follow the so-called ‘two walls’ rule during air raid alerts to minimise the risks from debris and blast waves. However, today this approach is becoming less relevant due to new threats posed by strike drones and high-precision missiles.
This was stated in a comment to RBC-Ukraine by Pavlo Petrov, spokesman for the capital’s State Emergency Service. According to him, the ‘two walls’ rule remained effective in cases of distant explosions or debris damage, but modern warfare poses a completely different scale of danger.
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‘What we are seeing now is not only an increase in the number of Shaheds, but also an increase in their combat capabilities. We are talking about drones that can penetrate not just two walls — they can destroy entire stairwells or buildings,’ Petrov emphasised.
The spokesperson noted that when a building is directly hit, especially a high-rise, apartments can burn down in a matter of minutes. In such cases, even rescue workers’ ability to respond quickly is limited — the temperature is too high and the area of damage is too large.
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The State Emergency Service urges people not to rely solely on the ‘two walls’ rule as universal protection and reminds them that the safest place during an air raid is in an officially equipped shelter or protected underground space. It is also important to pay attention to announcements from local authorities regarding safe areas and to follow the recommendations of emergency services.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has been regularly hit by Shahed drones and various types of missiles, including cruise and ballistic missiles, which often cause significant damage even deep in the rear. According to experts, modern weapons leave much less chance of survival in the event of a direct hit, so staying in specially equipped shelters is critically important.
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