At least 33 people have been killed and 18 others wounded after a Russian glide bomb struck two civilian buses in Kramatorsk, a frontline city in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, according to local Ukrainian authorities.
Key Highlights
- At least 33 people were killed in the attack on two civilian buses in Kramatorsk.
- Another 18 people were reportedly wounded.
- Ukrainian authorities accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting civilians.
- Public transport was suspended in Kramatorsk and Slovyansk following the attack.
- A separate strike in Pryluky killed 22 people, including five children.
- Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed for additional international defence support.
Russian Glide Bomb Hits Civilian Buses
Donetsk Regional Head Vadym Filashkin accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting buses carrying passengers, saying the strike was intended to cause mass civilian casualties.
Images released by Ukrainian prosecutors showed the burnt remains of one of the buses, with debris scattered across the road and victims reportedly lying nearby.
The attack has further heightened concerns over the safety of civilians in eastern Ukraine as Russian forces continue to intensify their military operations.
Public Transport Suspended in Kramatorsk
Following the attack, Filashkin ordered the suspension of public transport in Kramatorsk and Slovyansk, warning that the deteriorating security situation posed serious risks to passengers and drivers.
He also urged residents who remain in the Donetsk region to relocate to safer parts of Ukraine.
Kramatorsk and neighbouring Slovyansk form part of Ukraine’s eastern defensive belt and have remained strategically important as Russia presses its campaign to capture wider areas of the Donbas region.
Ukraine Records More Civilian Casualties
The latest attack comes amid a reported increase in Russian strikes across Ukraine.
The United Nations has reported that more civilians had been killed in Ukraine by August 2026 than during the whole of 2025.
The attack in Kramatorsk also came a day after another deadly Russian strike on the Ukrainian city of Pryluky, where a five-storey residential building was destroyed, killing 22 people, including five children.
In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said three people were killed and 14 others injured in Russian attacks on the capital on Thursday.
The attacks have also disrupted schools, businesses and public transportation, while damage to energy infrastructure has contributed to power outages and affected water supplies in parts of Kyiv.
Zelensky Calls for More International Support
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the latest attacks and expressed condolences to the families of those killed.
He called on Ukraine’s international partners to provide concrete assistance, including new defence packages to strengthen the country’s ability to intercept Russian attacks.
The Ukrainian government has repeatedly appealed for additional air-defence systems and other military support as Russian attacks continue to target cities and critical infrastructure.
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Kramatorsk Faces Continued Russian Attacks
Kramatorsk has served as an important logistics hub for Ukrainian forces during much of the war but has increasingly come under Russian attack as Moscow’s forces advance towards the city.
Russian forces have frequently used glide bombs against Kramatorsk and Slovyansk.
Glide bombs are aerial weapons fitted with wings or guidance systems that allow them to travel towards targets after being released from aircraft.
The Kramatorsk City Council described the latest strike as a “horrific crime” against civilians and said there were no military targets at the location of the attack.
The circumstances surrounding the strike and the reported civilian casualty figures remain based on statements from Ukrainian authorities and have not been independently verified.
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