Kramatorsk, Oct 09 (V7N) – At least 33 people were killed and 18 others injured when a Russian glide bomb struck two passenger buses in the eastern Ukrainian frontline city of Kramatorsk, Ukrainian authorities said on Thursday.
Donetsk regional administration chief Vadym Filashkin accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting the buses to inflict mass civilian casualties.
Images from the scene showed the burned-out metal frames of the buses and debris scattered across the road following the attack.
Authorities suspended all public transport in Kramatorsk and nearby Sloviansk amid worsening security conditions. Filashkin also urged civilians in the Donetsk region to evacuate to safer areas.
The attack came a day after a Russian missile strike hit a five-storey residential building in Pryluky, in Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv region, killing 22 people, including five children, according to Ukrainian authorities. Three of the children were reportedly just one year old. At least 54 other people were injured, according to local reports.
The Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, has also faced renewed Russian attacks. Recent strikes have damaged infrastructure, including energy facilities, raising concerns about disruptions to essential services as the country faces growing security challenges.
The latest attacks have added to the mounting civilian toll of Russia’s war in Ukraine. The United Nations has repeatedly warned of rising civilian casualties, particularly from missile, drone and aerial bomb attacks affecting populated areas.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported that civilian casualties reached a three-year high in July 2025, with 286 people killed and 1,388 injured that month. The mission identified aerial bombs and other long-range weapons as significant causes of civilian harm.
Ukrainian authorities have condemned the latest strikes and called for stronger measures to protect civilians as attacks continue across the country.
END/WD/AJ/