A Russian missile strike on a bus in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk has killed dozens and wounded many others, local authorities said on Thursday, in what officials described as one of the worst attacks on civilians this year.
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Key facts
- A Russian strike hit a bus in Kramatorsk, in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.
- The Guardian reports at least 30 people were killed and 18 wounded.
- The regional prosecutor's office said the vehicle was hit at 10am by an aerial bomb.
- A second bus was set on fire in the attack.
- All local public transport in the city was suspended.
A Russian strike on a bus in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk killed dozens of people and wounded many others on Thursday, local authorities said, in one of the worst attacks by Moscow on Ukrainian civilians this year.
According to the Guardian, the regional prosecutor’s office in the Donetsk region said at least 30 people were killed and 18 were wounded. The office said the vehicle had been hit at 10am by an aerial bomb, adding that the death toll had risen through the morning.
Casualty figures varied across early reports. Al Jazeera variously reported death tolls of at least 12, 30 and 33 people, with between 14 and 18 people wounded, as local authorities continued to assess the aftermath.
The Guardian reported that a second bus was set on fire in the attack. The regional prosecutor’s office said all local public transport in the city had been suspended following the strike.
The region’s governor accused the Kremlin of ‘deliberately targeting civilians,’ according to the Guardian. Kramatorsk lies near the frontline in the Donetsk region, an area that has seen heavy fighting during the war.
Local authorities said rescue and emergency operations were under way as the situation developed. Figures reported in the immediate aftermath remained preliminary and subject to change.
Why it matters
The attack marks one of the deadliest strikes on Ukrainian civilians this year, underscoring the continued risk to residents living near the frontline. The disruption to local public transport and the civilian death toll highlight the war's ongoing human cost in the Donetsk region.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were killed in the Kramatorsk attack?
The Guardian reported at least 30 people were killed and 18 wounded. Al Jazeera reported varying tolls of at least 12, 30 and 33 killed, with 14 to 18 wounded, as local authorities continued to assess the attack.
What was hit in the attack?
According to the Guardian, a bus was struck at 10am by an aerial bomb, and a second bus was set on fire. The regional prosecutor's office said all local public transport had been suspended.
Where is Kramatorsk?
Kramatorsk is a city in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, located near the frontline of the war.
Timeline
- Russian glide bomb attack on Zaporizhzhia kills at least 20 people
BBC World: Volodymyr Zelensky says the attack, which left children dead, was Russia expressing its "thanks" for a US diesel deal.
- Russian glide bomb attack on Zaporizhzhia kills at least 15 people
BBC World: Children are among the victims, authorities say, and more victims could still be buried in the rubble of a large apartment block that was destroyed.
- Russian attack on bus kills at least 30 people near Ukraine frontline
The Guardian World: Governor says Kremlin ‘deliberately targeting civilians’ after strike in Kramatorsk, which also wounded 18 and set second bus on fire Europe live – latest updates A Russian missile strike on a bus in the eastern city of Kramatorsk has killed at least 30 people, officials said on
- Russian attack on Ukraine’s Kramatorsk kills at least 12 people
Al Jazeera: Fourteen people were wounded in the Russian strike on city in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, local authorities say.
- Russian attack on buses in Ukraine’s Kramatorsk kills at least 33 people
Al Jazeera: Eighteen people were wounded in the Russian attack on city in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, local authorities say.
- Russian attack on buses in Ukraine’s Kramatorsk kills at least 30 people
Al Jazeera: Eighteen people were wounded in strike on the city in eastern Donetsk region, local authorities say.