A devastating Russian glide bomb attack on two civilian buses in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, has resulted in 33 fatalities and 18 injuries, according to rescue officials. The attack, which occurred recently, targeted a bus carrying passengers, with the intention of killing as many civilians as possible, according to Donetsk regional head Vadym Filashkin. Local prosecutors have posted images showing the burning metal shell of the bus, debris, and some of the victims on the road.
Kramatorsk and neighbouring Slovyansk are part of a so-called fortress belt that Russia is trying to seize as part of Vladimir Putin's claim to the entire Ukrainian industrial region of Donbas. The Kremlin's goal is to capture the remaining 20% of Donetsk territory still held by Ukraine, having already gained control of most of Luhansk. The attack on Kramatorsk follows a dramatic surge in Russian attacks across Ukraine, resulting in a heavy increase in civilian casualties.
The Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk has come under almost daily Russian attack as the military moves closer to the east of the city. Glide bombs, fitted with winglets to glide towards their target rather than simply fall, have been launched at Slovyansk and Kramatorsk. In late August, as many as nine glide bombs were fired at Kramatorsk in one day. Kramatorsk City Council described the strike as a "horrific crime committed by the Russian army against the civilian population".
The safety of civilians is of paramount importance, and all public transport has been ordered to stop in Kramatorsk and Slovyansk due to the sharp deterioration of security. Filashkin has appealed to anyone still in the Donetsk region to move to safer regions of Ukraine, citing the risk to the lives of passengers and drivers. Ukrainian President Zelensky has offered his condolences to families and loved ones affected by the latest attack.
According to the UN, Ukraine saw more civilians killed by August this year than were killed in all of 2025. A recent attack that destroyed a five-storey block of flats in Pryluky east of Kyiv resulted in 22 people being killed, including five children, with three of them only one year old. Moscow has yet to comment on the latest attack, but rescue officials reported that the attack caused a fire on two buses carrying passengers.
Ukrainian President Zelensky has warned of intelligence suggesting plans for a major Russian onslaught, prompting families in Kyiv to head to metro stations for shelter. The Ukrainian leader has called on partners to provide "concrete action through new defence packages for the protection of Ukraine". Both Russia and Ukraine have intensified long-range strikes on each other in recent months, with Russian attacks targeting Ukrainian data centres and logistics warehouses.
The international community remains concerned about the escalating violence in Ukraine, with Russia's actions being widely condemned. The Kramatorsk attack has been described as a horrific crime against the civilian population, with many calling for increased support for Ukraine.
Key points
- Thirty-three people have been killed in a Russian glide bomb attack on two civilian buses in Kramatorsk, Ukraine.
- Russia is trying to seize the entire Ukrainian industrial region of Donbas as part of Vladimir Putin's claim.
- Ukraine has seen a surge in civilian casualties, with more civilians killed by August this year than in all of 2025.
