KRAMATORSK, Ukraine – At least 33 people have been killed and 18 others wounded after a Russian glide bomb struck two civilian buses in the frontline city of Kramatorsk, Ukrainian officials said.
Donetsk regional governor Vadym Filashkin said the buses were carrying passengers when the attack occurred, accusing Russian forces of deliberately targeting civilians.
He said the strike appeared to target public transport because of the number of people who could be killed in a single attack.
“For them, a bus with passengers is an attractive target precisely because one strike can kill as many people as possible,” Filashkin said.
Images released by Ukrainian authorities showed a charred bus and debris scattered across the road, with victims reported at the scene.
The latest attack comes amid an intensification of Russian missile, drone and guided-bomb strikes across Ukraine.
Public Transport Suspended
Filashkin ordered public transport to stop in Kramatorsk and neighbouring Sloviansk following the attack, citing the deteriorating security situation.
He urged residents who remain in the Donetsk region to relocate to safer parts of Ukraine.
Filashkin said the safety of civilians had to take priority, adding that authorities could not risk the lives of passengers and drivers.
Kramatorsk and Sloviansk form part of a defensive belt in Donetsk that has come under sustained Russian attacks as Moscow seeks to capture the remaining Ukrainian-held territory in the region.
Russia has demanded Ukrainian withdrawal from the remaining parts of Donetsk under Kyiv’s control, while Ukraine has rejected those demands.
Attack Follows Deadly Pryluky Strike
The Kramatorsk attack came a day after a major Russian missile and drone barrage across Ukraine that killed dozens of civilians.
In Pryluky, in the northern Chernihiv region, a Russian missile struck a five-storey residential building on Wednesday.
The death toll there rose to 22 on Thursday, including five children, while 54 people were reported injured. Rescue workers also pulled 15 people from the rubble.
The attack formed part of a wider Russian assault involving missiles and drones against multiple Ukrainian regions.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for additional air-defence systems and further international support for Ukraine.
Kramatorsk Under Growing Pressure
Kramatorsk has increasingly come under Russian attacks as Russian forces advance towards the eastern part of the city.
The city has served as an important logistics centre for Ukrainian forces and lies within the so-called fortress belt of Donetsk.
Russian forces have increasingly used glide bombs against Kramatorsk and nearby Sloviansk. The weapons are fitted with wings that allow them to glide towards targets after being released from aircraft.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly accused Russia of targeting civilian areas, while Moscow has denied deliberately targeting civilians and says its strikes are directed at military and strategic infrastructure.
The latest attack adds to mounting civilian casualties as Russia intensifies its long-range strikes across Ukraine.
