Russian Missile Strikes Kill Dozens in Ukraine as Attacks Surge

A Russian glide bomb attack on two civilian buses in the frontline city of Kramatorsk killed 33 people and wounded 18 others, according to rescue officials. Donetsk regional head Vadym Filashkin accused Russia of deliberately targeting a bus carrying passengers in an effort to maximize civilian casualties.

Images from the scene showed the burning wreckage of a bus and debris scattered across the road. Kramatorsk and the nearby city of Slovyansk are strategic targets in Russia's ongoing efforts to seize the entire Ukrainian industrial region of Donbas.

This attack is part of a significant surge in Russian assaults across Ukraine, leading to a sharp increase in civilian deaths. According to the UN, Ukraine has already seen more civilians killed this year than in all of 2025. Earlier this week, 22 people, including five children, were killed in an attack that destroyed a five-story apartment building in Pryluky, east of Kyiv.

Russia has not yet commented on the Kramatorsk bus attack. Officials stated that the strike ignited a fire on both buses, which were carrying passengers at the time. Filashkin urged any remaining residents in the Donetsk region to evacuate to safer areas of Ukraine. Public transport in Kramatorsk and Slovyansk has been halted due to the deteriorating security situation, with officials prioritizing civilian safety.

Moscow has frequently cited the "liberation" and "protection" of the predominantly Russian-speaking Donbas as a primary justification for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Donbas region consists of Luhansk and Donetsk, with Russia currently controlling most of Luhansk and aiming to capture the remaining 20% of Donetsk still held by Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered condolences to the victims' families and called on Ukraine's international partners to provide "concrete action through new defense packages for the protection of Ukraine." Zelensky had previously warned of intelligence suggesting plans for a major Russian offensive, prompting some families in Kyiv to seek shelter in metro stations.

Ukraine faces a global shortage of interceptor missiles, limiting its ability to counter incoming Russian ballistic attacks. Both nations have intensified long-range strikes in recent months, with Russia targeting Ukrainian data centers and logistics warehouses.

Kramatorsk has historically served as a logistics and supply hub for the Ukrainian military. However, as Russian forces advance closer to the city's eastern areas, it has come under near-daily attack. Glide bombs, which are fitted with winglets to increase their range, have been frequently used against Slovyansk and Kramatorsk. In late August, Kramatorsk reportedly experienced a single-day barrage of nine glide bombs.

The Kramatorsk City Council condemned the strike as a "horrific crime committed by the Russian army against the civilian population," adding that "once again, the Russians have struck a location where there are absolutely no military targets."