Russian Strike on Kramatorsk Buses Kills 33, Injures 18

At least 33 people were killed and 18 others injured on Thursday after a Russian bomb struck a street where two public buses were operating in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian authorities said.

The attack is one of the deadliest single strikes in Ukraine this year and prompted authorities to suspend public transportation in Kramatorsk and neighbouring Sloviansk.

Donetsk regional military administration chief Vadym Filashkin accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting civilians, saying a bus carrying passengers offered an opportunity to cause mass casualties with a single strike.

“The Russians are deliberately targeting civilians,” Filashkin said, adding that the attack showed the risks faced by passengers and drivers in the frontline region.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said the strike set two buses and surrounding areas on fire. Police later reported that drones targeted officers and emergency personnel working at the scene, complicating rescue efforts.

Images released by Ukrainian authorities showed bodies and debris scattered across the road, while one of the buses was left badly damaged by the blast. Some victims were reportedly difficult to identify because of the severity of their injuries.

Filashkin ordered public transport to be halted in Kramatorsk and Sloviansk and urged residents who remained in Donetsk region to relocate to safer parts of Ukraine.

Kramatorsk and Sloviansk are key cities in Ukraine’s defensive “fortress belt” in Donetsk, close to the front line. Their strategic importance has made them frequent targets as Russian forces intensify attacks in the region.

The strike came a day after Russian missile and drone attacks across Ukraine killed dozens of people, including five children in the northern city of Pryluky. Kyiv also faced further drone attacks on Thursday that killed three people and injured 14, according to Ukrainian officials.

Russia has not immediately commented on the Kramatorsk attack. Moscow has repeatedly denied deliberately targeting civilians during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.